In a festive twist on Santa's famous list, a beloved Cornish animal sanctuary has ranked its resident seals from the nicest to the naughtiest of 2025. The team at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek took on the role of elves, judging the year-round behaviour of their aquatic charges to create a unique Christmas celebration.
From Angelic to Chaotic: The Top and Bottom of the List
The sanctuary, which is home to eight grey seals and three common seals and rescues up to 70 seal pups annually, shared its light-hearted rankings on its Facebook page. Topping the 'nice' list was the seal named Jarvis, described by staff as an 'absolute angel' and the 'goodest of good eggs'.
Jarvis was praised for his impressive progress in training and care routines. The sanctuary highlighted his proficiency in crate training and mastering teeth brushing, albeit with a little help from his carers. His consistently good behaviour meant he avoided the naughty list entirely this year, securing his place as the sanctuary's sweetest resident.
At the other end of the scale, choosing the naughtiest seal proved a tougher decision, with several strong contenders. The dubious honour ultimately went to Aayla, crowned the 'Queen of Chaos'. Her reign of mischief included expertly stealing fish during feeding times and serenading her pool mates with loud howls during designated nap times, much to their annoyance.
A Special Shout-Out and Sweet New Arrivals
In the spirit of Christmas, the sanctuary also named a 'Resident of the Month'. This title went to Logs, their largest resident, who tips the scales at a hefty 255kg – roughly equivalent to two reindeer. The sanctuary humorously noted that a New Year's diet might be in order, but affectionately added that beneath his grumpy exterior lies a 'total teddy bear'.
The sanctuary, which opened in 1975 and celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, has welcomed several seal pups in 2025. Keeping with a delicious theme, many of the new arrivals have been named after desserts and sweet treats. The current roster includes seals called S'Mores, Meringue, Waffle, Custard, and Angel Delight.
This festive ranking provides a charming insight into the individual personalities of the animals in care and the close bond they share with the dedicated team looking after them. The Cornish Seal Sanctuary continues its vital work in rescue and rehabilitation, ensuring these charismatic marine mammals get a second chance, whether they've been naughty or nice.
