Rewarding work... but hard work too!
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Wednesday August 25 2010
BEING a volunteer at the Irish Seal Sanctuary in Courtown Harbour might be rewarding, but it's also hard work!
Caring for these little pups takes dedication and hard graft, but the volunteers will tell you, it's worth it.
The typical day will start at around 7.30 a.m., when the volunteers check all the seal pups, and make sure the night went okay for them.
Then they prepare the morning feed - which is usually the finest of herring. The seals eat the fish whole. These fish are full of oil and help the seals put weight on.
After breakfast, it's time to clean out the pools and the individual units, and all the equipment in the hospital is sterilised.
'If a seal pup is badly injured and needs extra care, we would do 24 hour shifts,' said Lynn Moore, a manager at the centre.
The staff and volunteers then open the centre at around 10 a.m. and do public tours until around 6 p.m. The seals take it easy, swimming or sleeping after their morning feed.
The next feeding time is at 4 p.m. and this normally attracts great public interest. 'Depending on the age of the pup, they get two to six feeds a day,' said Lynn.
The centre has three paid managers, and multiple volunteers, including six international volunteers. The international volunteers sign up for at least three months as part of an International Volunteers Programme. They live close to the centre in Courotwn, and work forty hours plus per week, and it's all voluntary.
' They come on their own funds,' said Lynn. ' We provide food and accommodation.' The current volunteers are from Italy, Australia, Germany and the United States.
Newly graduated Italian vet Tafsit Bresciani arrived two and a half months ago for a three month stay. 'I'm interested in marine mammals, and I wanted to learn more about them,' she said. 'I never worked with seals before and I have absolutely loved the experience. I learned a lot. It's interesting work.'
She said she hasn't booked her flights home just yet as she wants to stay until the first seals are released back to the wild. 'I saw them at three days old, and I want to see them released. That will be the best moment.'
Another volunteer is Conor Devine from Naas who works two to three days a week, if he can. ' You get quite a good experience here. It's hands on,' he said. He comes from a background of Development Studies and has worked in IT, but this was his first time working with animals.
He has helped nurse some of the seals back to health, and finds the work rewarding.
Lynn Moore explained that day volunteers are always welcome. ' There are loads of ways people can help,' she said. 'People can drop in and talk to us or apply online. People can help with the animals, or in the shop, or help with releases, or with fundraising.'
The Irish Seal Sanctuary eventually plans to set up a Marine Conservation Centre to focus on education and research, but for now, they are concentrating on putting the finishing touches to their new Courtown home.
The Irish Seal Sanctuary, based in Courtown behind Forest Park Leisure Centre, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
