Rare guest Seal sighted in the Rhine
Krefeld · A seal has lost its way in Krefeld. The animal was spotted in the Rhine on Monday. The seal, which lives on the coast usually, will probably return home within a few days.
A seal was discovered in the Rhine near Krefeld on Monday. The Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum in Dusseldorf confirmed on the basis of a photo that the sea dog was apparently a seal. It is rare but not unusual for a seal to appear in the Rhine.
One should definitely leave the animal alone, said zoo director Jochen Reiter. "The last thing such an animal needs is sensationalism.“ The seal, which usually lives on the coast, will probably migrate back within a few days. There are also fish in the river. Seals are smart and fresh water is no problem for them.
The expert pointed out that a seal had already been sighted in Düsseldorf's Media Harbour in 2014. Several walkers had discovered a seal in the Rhine water at that time. A boat of the water police joined them. Frightened by so much attention, the animal submerged. It was left to its own devices so that it could find its way back to the North Sea about 270 kilometres away.
Original text: dpa
Translation: Mareike Graepel
