No seal of approval at Wick River
A JUVENILE seal which was seen taking a rest along Wick River was captured in a series of photographs as it slipped away out of sight underwater on Friday morning.
Common seals, also known as a harbour seals, are often found around sheltered shores and estuaries, where they haul themselves out on sandbanks and beaches.
The Wick youngster had pulled himself – or herself – out of the water and onto the end of a groyne, which had been built in the 1970s to replace two weirs.
Seals have been spotted in the same area quite frequently and are no doubt taking advantage of the fast flowing channel of water between the groynes to do a spot of fishing.
The seal sat on the end of the groyne for some time, holding its body in a curved banana position with its head and tail both in the air at the same time.
When diving after prey, common seals can stay submerged for up to 10 minutes. Their blood contains much more haemoglobin than a human which allows them to store more oxygen in the bloodstream. They also limit their oxygen use by decreasing their heart rate to just 15 beats a minute and diverting blood away from the skin and intestines, to keep the brain and heart functioning.
Well, after being spotted, this seal was having none of it and slipped away from sight under the water.
