Dilla, the miracle seal cub
Seal cub Dilla with zookeeper Stephanie at Slakki petting zoo. Photo: Helgi Sveinbjörnsson
The little orphaned seal cub, fostered by the Slakki petting zoo in south Iceland has been confirmed as female. She's been named Dýrleif, or Dilla for short. The cub has become very attached to the zookeepers and is doing extremely well. "It's a real miracle," say staff.
The cub, found alone in Traustholtshólmi island at the bottom of the Þjórsá river, is named after the great aunt of the farmer living in the island.
According to Helgi Sveinbjörnsson, one of the members of staff at the Slakki petting zoo the cub is feeding really well. She's fed with a tube on a diet of cream and chopped up fish. "If she was still with her mother she would still be feeding from her teat. It's therefore normal that she hasn't been able to feed for herself yet. "
Sveinbjörnsson adds that this is the first time that a seal cub is fostered and cared for in this way. "They're usually killed instead."
Little Dilla has gained weight and has become very attached to staff. "She follows them around, nuzzles them and calls out when she's hungry," says Sveinbjörnsson. "She's very calm and she loves to swim and play with the trout swimming in her pool."
The plan is for Dilla to be released back into the wild once she has reached maturity. "She'll have to figure out first how to catch the trout in her pool, we can't release her until she's learned to hunt for herself."
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Dilla's feeding tube provides her with a blend of cream and mashed fish. Photo: Helgi Sveinbjörnsson
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