On May 7, a Southern American fur seal was discovered in the Torres del Paine National Park, nearly 30 miles from the ocean. This unexpected sighting prompted park officials to notify Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, as the fur seal is a protected species. A team confirmed the seal's health and observed its lively demeanor before transporting it safely back to the coast. The incident raises questions about how the seal traveled so far from its natural habitat, indicating potential environmental changes or unusual behavior.
On the Carretas Trail in the Pampa del Serrano, a low-vegetation plain less than a mile from the park's administrative center, a Southern American fur seal was resting.
Ximena Gallardo, the agency's regional director, described it as a lively animal that kept its distance from people. It was carefully transported in a metal cage to a beach.
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