Arctic seal back in wrong water

Sahara: Preparing to take to the water off Orkney last month

An Arctic seal, rescued after it was found on a beach in the Canary Islands in April, has got into hot water again.

The hooded seal - named Sahara - was found malnourished and bald, and nursed backed to health by the National Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall.

Sahara was released last month after being transported by road, sea and air back to his natural habitat.

But after swimming more than 1,000 miles in the wrong direction he has been rescued by a Spanish sanctuary.

Vets are waiting for the results of blood tests from the seal before a decision is made whether to send him back to the Cornish sanctuary or make another attempt to release him into the wild.

Tamara Cooper, from the sanctuary in Gweek, said she was very proud of him despite his wonky radar.

Sahara: Back on dry land at a Spanish sanctuary

"He's travelled over a thousand miles and he's been diving to depths he's never known so I'm really quite proud of him," she said.

She said Sahara had been fitted with a satellite tracking transmitter before a release near the Orkney Islands that went "like clockwork".

But, Sahara appears not to be the only Arctic seal with a penchant for slightly warmer waters.

"On at least one other occasion with another hooded seal that strayed hundreds of miles south, it eventually ended up back in the USA in spite of being given a lift as far as Orkney," Ms Cooper said.