Sometimes, wild animals and mammals end up miles from their original homes. This can be due to many reasons, such as climate change or human interference. But when it happens, they must get back to where they came from as soon as possible.
That’s especially true for creatures that are extremely far from their habitat. For example, those from the arctic shouldn’t end up in warmer waters. If they do, it can put their lives at risk.
A seal’s story
In January, an Arctic ringed seal was spotted in Quilty, Clare, Ireland. This is rare because the country is far from the arctic circle. In fact, many people believed this might be the first marine seal in Ireland. So, this beautiful mammal was taken in by Seal Rescue Ireland.
Too skinny
The rescue named the adorable seal Cloudberry. She was young and quite small. It was clear she had a lot of weight to gain. Arctic seals need a lot of fat on their bodies so they can manage to stand the freezing temperatures of their native environment.
A total diva
Even though Cloudberry wasn’t in great shape when she was found, she started healing quickly. As soon as she gained more weight, she became pretty sassy. Due to her quirky diva attitude, the rescue team nicknamed her Princess Cloudberry.
Putting on more weight
It wasn’t long before Cloudberry started gaining even more weight. Soon, she wasn’t able to fit in the tub where she’d been living in. She couldn’t even manage to turn around in it.
Making new friends
That’s when the staff decided to move Cloudberry into a communal area with other seals. The problem was that none of them were the same species as her. The staff members worried the others might pick on her because she was so small. But her sassiness warned them to stay away so she was fine.
Temperature rising
As the temperatures threatened to rise in Ireland, the team knew they had to get Cloudberry back home to the Arctic. She’d gained a lot of weight and was finally good to go. They planned to release her somewhere like Iceland where it was nice and cold.
The pandemic hit
But before they could accomplish their goal, the world shut down. The coronavirus became a serious problem throughout the world. Everything closed. So, the seal rescue team couldn’t take an international flight to deliver Cloudberry to safety.
On the road
The team determined their best bet was to drive Cloudberry to Northern Ireland, where they hoped it would be cold enough for her to swim to the Arctic. It was an intense trip but they managed to make it there. When they finally arrived, Cloudberry looked like she was ready to get out and explore.
Free at last
At first, Cloudberry seemed very hesitant to go into the water. After all, it was probably overwhelming for her. But after a short time, she worked up the courage.
A happy ending
She took off in the water, hopefully, heading for home. Wherever she is now, the experts believe she’s safe and happy. And maybe, she remembers the humans who helped her.
You can watch the video below to learn more about Cloudberry’s story and strength.
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Source: YouTube, The Irish Sun
