Seal swims 14 miles up river and surprises anglers

Gem Simmons is a marine biologist and the director of Wales' Seal Research Organisation

A seal has apparently had a wild time making its way up river in a month-long adventure which included a sighting at least 14 miles (22km) from the Welsh coast.

The juvenile grey seal was spotted by anglers on the River Conwy in Betws-y-Coed, Conwy county, which runs into the sea passing Conwy's castle and marina.

Experts suspect it has since taken a "ride" back to the coast following a deluge of rain which prompted a series of flood warnings.

Gem Simmonds, director of Wales' Seal Research Organisation, said she had never seen a seal "so far up" the river in 15 years of sightings.

Ms Simmonds said she first became aware of the seal about three weeks ago after receiving a call from a local fisherman about it being in Llanrwst, about 12 miles from Conwy Castle.

"There are some big deep pools of water there, but the outside of it can be quite shallow," she said.

It had already moved on by the time she arrived in a bid to conduct a health assessment.

In her role as a marine biologist, Ms Simmonds has been working with the public to map seal habitats and "look at their movements".

She has had many sightings but said it was "quite interesting" how far this seal had moved in land.

She said it was a "positive" sign of the river's health.

"If you've got top predators like seals coming into the rivers hopefully that's a positive thing."

Ms Simmonds said she felt the seal was a "juvenile" meaning it was not a baby but was "definitely younger" than an adult, which might explain its journey.

"They are a bit one-track minded at that age.

"They could be following a food source or finding shelter from storms."

She said she had no way of knowing when the seal came in, but the stormy weather and high tide meant the river would have been a "nice habitat".

This grainy snap was taken when the seal was spotted on the River Conwy near Betws-y-Coed, about 14 miles from the Welsh coast

Ms Simmonds and her team have planned an extraction for the seal if required.

One report from a local angler placed the seal at Llyn yr Afanc, Betws y Coed, which she described as "very deep" water levels at the time.

"From what I can tell it's heading in the right direction," she added.

"The best case scenario would be for the rescue team to find the seal and transport it back to the coast if it has not made it already."

Ms Simmonds said it was "impressive" that it had made it so far considering a seal's nature.

"Just looking at the river today and how high it is and how fast the water is flowing, I suspect it's been given a nice lift back out."

Ms Simmonds said her team was focusing on the changing seasons and how they could impact Wales' colonies.

"At the end of August you start to see large numbers of seals returning to the north Wales coast."

She said young seals could be "quite curious" as they try to "figure out the world".

What to do if you spot a seal

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) advised people not to approach seals or allow children or dogs near them, adding the animals should be given "plenty of space".

BDMLR said seals were easily disturbed on land where they are far more wary of threats, rushing into the sea when they are startled, which could cause injuries and, in extreme cases, even death.

"Please stay calm, quiet, downwind and keep a low profile during your encounter so they don't notice you," it said.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue said to not approach seals or allow children or dogs near them