National Seal Sanctuary

Nestled along the Gweek Estuary (say that thwee times quickly) the Seal Sanctuary is easy to find and has a nice set up of pools for a couple of fur seal and true seal species, as well as a pair of Asian otters.
Many of the seals have been there for decades after being rescued or retired and you have to admire the work of the seal hospital which rescues a number of animals each year.

Good to see their great work in action. I was a little sceptical before going in, but after hearing their success stories with the animals in their care, I went away feeling pleased to have been.

We went to the National Seal Sanctuary on a particularly miserable wet rainy day but we certainly were not disappointed. There’s nothing like the face of a cute seal pressing against the glass of the tank making silly mushy faces at you to lift your spirits. There were also some rescued otters and a seal hospital on site to visit. We took the land rover ride through the sanctuary, it’s included in the entry price and makes it easy to get around especially in the wet. One carer entry is free, parking good, a lovely place to visit and a worthwhile charity.

the national seal sanctuary is great! the wonderful work they do for the seals is amazing and they should be congratulated for it! the kids will love it!! and so will the adults!! definatley worth a visit! and a much needed charity for these lovely seals!

This is the most worthwhile attraction in the area. It really pledges all its money back in to helping the seals who either become rescued or are not able to be released back in to the wild. The animals are well loved and looked afte. The staff provide talks at certain times so you can understand exactly why they are they and how they ar trying to help the animals. It can be a bit smelly in the height of the summer, but once you see the seals you wont care. The food is averagely priced and worth it, they do scrummy cakes and coffee for a special price. There is a woodland walk from which you can take in views of the river. You cant really spend all day here, but definatly 3 hours or so.

This is a great place to visit, especially as your entry fee helps to rescue and look after seals. Best to go between October and March when they’re busiest with rescued pups and there are less people visiting. We spent a few hours there watching the seals enjoy themselves, enjoying the pretty location, and learning about their personalities during the feeding time talks. Best of all was how happy all the animals seem — from the ones being prepared for release to the retired seals resident there. Highly recommended.

The Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall is a great place to visit if you love animals. The National Seal Sanctuary cares for injured and struggling seals, and helps them get back to the wildlife. There are several pools in which the seals live and there are also presentations by the keepers throughout the day. The park is rarely full, so makes quite a nice quiet day out with the family. There are picnic benches and two gift shops which do sell sweets and ice creams. This is a nice day out for families who want to learn something from there days out although there is little to do if you are the full of energy type.

very expensive for what it is, found vouchers and went in for half price. wouldnt pay full price having been in. although good charity.

Visited the Seal Sanctuary back in June this year. The full price for admission to the centre is £12 which in my opinion is a bit steep. Look around for discount tickets — for example the website is currently promoting a 2 for 1 offer. Fortunately the hotel we were staying at had money off vouchers so we managed to get in at half price. £6.00 is probably about the right amount to pay — bear in mind that this is not a zoo but an organisation that rescues injured and orphaned seals, rehabilitates them before releasing them back in the wild — and seals eat an awful lot of fresh fish!
The entrance is located a fair distance from where the seals are kept — about 10 to 15 min walk up and down a hill — but there is a ‘train’ pulled by a landrover which operates during the summer months.
The main attraction is probably the large pool where the seal pups are taken after being weaned. Numbers of pups can vary depending on the time of year — there about 10 or 11 present at the time we were there. Like most [all?] young animals, pups are more playful and lively than the adults and more fun to watch.
Feeding times are frequent — I think it is every two hours. One of the volunteers goes round from one enclosure to the next with a bucket or two of fish. Animals come alive when food is about — funny that — so it is always worth following along behind. Last to be fed are the two otters which are located some way off down a track. Small pieces of fish are cut up and hidden at various points within the enclosure. This is necessary in order to keep the otters active — they spend a fair bit of time lazing about at other times!
All in all an enjoyable experience and worth the £6 each we paid.