Firm offers to sell seals to rescue centre

TV NATURALIST Terry Nutkins has hit out at a Russian firm which has offered to capture wild seals to sell to a Scottish rescue centre.

The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary in Oban was sent an e-mail from White Sphere Ltd, which invited it to place orders for five species of seals, ranging from $18,000 (10,898) to $36,000 (21,797). The centre, which rehabilitates abandoned and injured seals and releases them back to the wild, believes it is one of several international aquariums targeted.

The species being offered include Northern fur seal, Ribbon seal, spotted or Largha seal, ringed seal and bearded seal.

Although the five species are not endangered, Northern fur seals are classed as "vulnerable" and the status of the ribbon and spotted seals is unknown.

Mr Nutkins, a former presenter of Animal Magic, said: "This is wrong. These companies say they love these animals and ensure they go to good places, but they are making millions a year by supplying not only marine mammals, but other animals as well."