Located on the Scottish island of Shetland, the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary provides a safe haven for otters and seals. However, the couple who run it, Jan and Pete Bevington, have noticed a steady decline in the health and condition of the animals being brought in, which has made it increasingly difficult to save them.
The couple say pollution from humans and food shortages have hurt seal populations, while an increase in the number killer whales coming to Shetland in search of food is adding extra pressure. The Bevingtons often have to tube-feed seals as soon as they are brought in, to rehydrate them and give them strength. They say they are losing more than ever before with the animals arriving weaker, smaller, and less resilient than they used to be.
Covering Shetland's vast 1,500-mile coastline is a challenging task, but the Bevingtons have established a network of people to assist them in rescuing seals and otters in need.
The Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary was founded in 1987 when a seal washed up on the beach, and Jan Bevington researched how best to help it. Now, more than three decades later, the sanctuary has become a vital organisation in the region, with hundreds of seal and otter rescues to their name. N°33A88TJ