Rescued seal swims 200 km back to the crowded tourist island he calls home, six days after release
A rescued spotted seal named Nana swam about 200 km back to Dachangshan Island in China's Liaoning Province within six days of being released far from humans, and local officials have agreed to let him stay.
On September 7, a 2-year-old spotted seal named Nana was released into the waters off Haiyang Island, China, to be cared for by wild seals. Six days later, on September 13, officials confirmed that Nana had returned to Dachangshan's Golden Beach, a popular tourist destination. The seal, which weighed 50 kg at the time of release, was found panting heavily and much thinner than before.
Experts calculated that Nana traveled approximately 200 km by land, despite a straight-line distance of around 140 km recorded by experts at the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute. Spotted seals are known for their remarkable navigation abilities, but Nana had strayed from his usual path on his first migration, ending up in Beihai, Guangxi region, before being rescued and cared for in Dalian.
Despite his strong dependence on humans, Nana is a protected species and the local authorities have decided not to intervene further, respecting his choice to return to his home island.
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