Seal Ends Up On Car Dashboard

A seal pup has been rescued after he was spotted on a car’s dashboard in a busy lorry park in south west Scotland.

Several workers at the Cairnryan port had spotted the six-week-old earlier in the month, and had tried to encourage it back into the water only for the animal to refuse. They then decided their best option was to call in the Scottish SPCA.

One of the ferry workers then looked to keep the seal safe by placing it inside the boot of their car, only for it to break out and then land on his dashboard.

Alistair Hill, an animal rescue officer, then recovered the seal, which has been named Smartie. Hill stated, “The seal pup had made its way into the lorry park via a steep, man-made banking. It would have taken a lot of effort for him to get up there and he had no intention of returning to the choppy waters.”

Hill also added, “Normally we’d ask people to leave seal alone until we arrive but there was a risk he could have been injured in the busy lorry park so a member of staff put him in their car until I got there.”

However, the seal then used this opportunity to escape, after he apparently pushed down one of the rear seats. “He is clearly a very smart seal as he ended up watching the storm out the windscreen of the car from his warm, dry spot on the dash.”

It is hoped that the seal will be returned to the wild in the next few weeks.