Aroma Pets

Residents help stranded elephant seal return to the sea in Chile

An elephant seal has been helped back to sea after it became stranded in a neighbourhood in Chile.

A group of residents in the Chilean town of Puerto Cisnes sprung to action after the enormous seal was spotted.

They surrounded the elephant seal with black tarpaulin and herded it through the streets of Puerto Cisnes.

Footage shows the police and members of the Chilean navy join the locals as they chase the confused seal towards the ocean.

Manuel Novoa, a presenter at local radio station Radio Autentica FM who covered the rescue, said: "Look at all the people who are helping and are using tarpaulin to circle it.

"It's just a few feet from the sea now. The work neighbours have done has been incredible.

"They're giving it time to rest because it's covered around 10 blocks and must be very tired."

After the seal returns to the sea the locals can be heard cheering.

Reference: Evening Standard: ELuke O'Reilly: 2 days ago