Newborn harbour seal pup snuggles up to its mother just hours after it came into the world.
The pup and its mum delighted crowds at Zurich Zoo in Switzerland when they made their debut in their enclosure pool.
Heartwarming footage obtained by Newsflash shows the pup squeaking with joy as it plays with its mother.
And just in case it all gets too much for the youngster, it was able to pop up on mum’s back to hitch a lift.
Then – just when it looks as if the pup might be running out of steam – its mum rolls over on her side to offer it a chance to recharge with a nourishing drink.
In a statement obtained by Newsflash, the zoo said on 28th June: “Our four-year-old harbour seal cow Skadi has given birth for the first time in her life.”
They added: “The young animal already enjoys swimming all around the pool with its mum. Now and then, it has a sip of breast milk.
“By this, the seal pup is expected to gain 1.5 kilogrammes in weight each day in the coming weeks. In around five weeks, it will probably eat fish for the first time.”
Its sex has not yet been determined.
Visitors who have already caught a glimpse of the newborn are delighted.
Social media user ‘Anita Baenziger’ said: “It’s just a few hours old and we’ve already had the pleasure to see it.”
‘Britta Marenbach’ commented: “Congratulations on this adorable offspring!”
And ‘Reto Kuenzler’ added: “Mega cute!”
Harbor seal pups can swim at birth and can dive for up to two minutes when they are only two to three days old.
Adults can dive down to 430 metres (1,400 feet) and remain underwater for nearly 30 minutes before they have to come up for air.
Adult females weigh up to 80 kilogrammes (12.5 stone) whereas bulls can reach 100 kilogrammes (15.7 stone).
Newborns tip the scales at 10 to 15 kilogrammes (1.57 to 2.36 st).
Their average lifespan is around 40 years in the wild and in captivity, the longest recorded lifespan was 47.6 years.
An adult harbour seal eats up to eight kilogrammes of fish a day and they can find their prey using their sensitive whiskers to detect soundwaves.
Harbour seals’ natural habitats are temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere.
The global population of harbour seals ranges between 350,000 and 500,000.
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Story By: Thomas Hochwarter, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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