Seal Swims 200km Home, Officials Give Up

A rescued spotted seal, Nana, has baffled wildlife officials by returning to Dachangshan Island after being relocated 200 kilometers away. Nana was born in Liaodong Bay around early 2024 but became lost during his first migration, ending up injured in southern Guangxi Province over 1,500 kilometers from his birthplace. After over a year of rehabilitation and rewilding training near Dalian, he was released in April 2025. However, Nana gravitated towards human activity on Dachangshan Island.

Wildlife managers then moved Nana to a remote area off Haiyang Island to encourage assimilation with wild seals. Despite this, he completed the 200-kilometer journey back to Dachangshan Island in under a week, arriving by the evening of September 13th, 2026. Experts attribute Nana's behavior to a strong reliance on human care and the appealing habitat offered by Dachangshan's clean waters and abundant food.

As a Class I protected species in China, Nana's imprinting poses a conservation challenge. Officials have decided against further relocation, opting instead to "respect nature and respect Nana's choice." They plan to create a designated resting area, "Nana's Home," and increase patrols to limit tourist disturbances. A social media presence, "Changhai Nana," has also been established to educate the public about conservation and Nana's unique situation.