A rare ringed seal pup that was spotted at Cove Bay Harbour in Aberdeen in August has been release back into the wild after being flown north to Shetland.
The tiny, emaciated pup, named Hispi by his rescuers, belongs to a species that has only been seen in UK waters a maximum of 30 times in the past century.
After taking him in, the Scottish SPCA initially believed he was a common seal due to his small size.
Hispi was looked after by the charity for several weeks, before it was decided that he had recovered to the extent that he could be released.
Accompanied by Sarah Beattie and Sian Belcher from the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre, he was taken as far north as possible so he would have the best chance of making it back to his Arctic habitat.
Far north farewell
A far healthier-looking Hispi spent a night at Shetland’s Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary.
The sanctuary posted on Facebook: “It was amazing to see his ringed markings that give the species their name, and watch as he clawed at the sump in the pool with his tiny flippers as if he was making a hole in the ice.”
The following day, he was taken to Hamnavoe bay in Eshaness, where he swam north past the Muckle Ossa sea stack and towards home.
National Wildlife Rescue Centre assistant manager Sarah Beattie said: “We’re delighted to be able to release Hispi back in to the wild where he belongs.
“We’re not sure how Hispi ended up in Aberdeen or what caused him to be separated from his mother.
“Although he was only six to eight weeks old when he came in to our care he recovered well from his injuries and quickly began putting on weight.”
‘He didn’t hang about’
Thanking pilot Graham Mountford from Civil Air Support who flew the unusual group to the islands, she said the ringed seal would not have far to swim as the species had been spotted as far south as Norway.
She added: “We couldn’t be happier with how the release went. He didn’t hang about for very long and it was great to see him back in his natural habitat and starting his journey home.”
Jan Bevington of Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary said: “Being the most northerly seal sanctuary in the UK, we have the privilege of being the best place to release arctic seals when they turn up needing help on Britain’s shores, but it has been a number of years since the last time this happened after a bearded seal was found and rehabilitated in Lincolnshire.”