LPA Calais

LPA Calais is one of France’s few wildlife centers equipped to rescue and rehabilitate seals, operating under the Ligue de Protection des Animaux du Calaisis, a historic animal welfare organization founded in 1930. Located near the English Channel, the center plays a vital role in responding to seal strandings and injuries along the northern coast, involving harbor seals and grey seals, the region’s native species. The main reason they end up in the center is maternal separation.

The Centre de Soins pour la Faune Sauvage, inaugurated in 2011, features modern facilities tailored to marine mammal care. These include three rehabilitation pools for seals and seabirds, a quarantine unit and intensive care room, and infrared lamps to maintain warmth for young or weakened animals. The center operates on a 1,300 m² site provided by the Grand Calais Terres et Mers community, with support from the European Union and the Hauts-de-France region. It is the only facility in the region authorized to care for seals.

LPA Calais receives financial and institutional support from the Aquarium-Musèum de Liège, which helps fund seal care and promotes public awareness of marine mammal conservation. This cross-border partnership strengthens the center’s capacity to rehabilitate seals and return them to the wild.