Kári, the famous ringed seal that the zoo unexpectedly received in January, has been released in Ísafjörður. Police in Suðurnes found the seal at the beginning of the year, looking rough and too skinny to survive. He was only 7.5 kg at the time, but has now built up enough fat reserves to survive in the wild.
A veterinarian examined him and determined that the ringed seal had a bacterial infection in his eyes and pulmonary worms in his lungs. These worms had not previously been seen in Iceland.
“Naturally, we thought it was more likely that he was going to die than live,” zookeeper Þorkell Heiðarsson told Vísir. They fed Kári a liquid and vitamin diet and gave him anti-parasitic medication. Eventually, his appetite increased, and he started eating up to eight herring a day, which is quite normal for a ringed seal. “Then, as he ate, he became more like an animal, and lately he’s been biting and striking us. This is, of course, a sign of good health, and shows that he is capable of surviving in the sea.”
This is why the zoo has released Kári. He is well-fed, fat, and happy to return to the wild. He didn’t even wave goodbye as he dove into the ocean.
Kári was fitted with a satellite transmitter that sends information about his location to Argos satellites. You can follow his journey here.
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