Ringed seals have only been seen 30 times in the past 100 years in the UK (Photo: PA)
A rare ringed seal found injured in Aberdeen has been released into the wild after recovering.
The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) worked to recover the Hispie before being released into the waters of the Shetlands.
Ringed seals have been seen in Britain only 30 times in the last century and are found more frequently in Arctic waters.
In August the Hispie was found sluggish and with multiple injuries in Cove Bay Harbor.
He was between six and eight weeks old before being taken to the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Center when he was spotted in Scottish waters.
The hippie was taken to the Shetlands, the northernmost island in Scotland, in the hope that he could return home from there.
Sarah Beatty, deputy director of the rescue center, traveled north with Hispy.
The Hippie was about six to eight weeks old when he was found (Photo: PA)
They were released into Shetland waters hoping to return home (Photo: PA)
“We are delighted to be able to release the Hispy into the forest where he belongs,” she said.
“We don’t know how Hispie ended up in Aberdeen or what prompted him to separate from his mother.
“Although he was only six to eight weeks old when he got here, he has recovered from his injuries and quickly started gaining weight.
“Our team arranged to take him to the Shetlands to release him from the northernmost point of Scotland and have the best possible chance of getting home where he is.”
Ringed seals are commonly found in the Atlantic (Photo: PA)
The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) is working to heal Hispies (Photo PA)
She continued: “The team at the center did a fantastic job in rehabilitating her and preparing her for life in nature.
“We couldn’t be happier with the way the outing went. He didn’t stick around for very long and it was great to see him again in his natural habitat and starting his journey home.
“It’s always a wonderful feeling to see an animal we care for that is successfully released back into the wild, but it’s even more special when it comes to such a rare species.”
Prior to his release on Saturday, Hispie spent the night at the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary on the island.
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