Two lost seals who spent three years stranded in a river 40 miles from the sea have been rescued.
The fish-guzzling pair, named Daffodil and Trifle, were first spotted in the waterway back in 2022.
They were seen along with two others whose fate remains unknown.
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Locals said fish stocks had been “seriously depleted” since the seals moved in, prompting Natural England to grant a licence for their removal for their own well-being.
The complicated rescue involved Marine and Wildlife Rescue, Natural England, and a vet from the International Zoo Veterinary Group, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Dan Goldsmith, chairman of Marine and Wildlife Rescue, said the animals were running out of food in the River Nene near Peterborough, Cambs, and one was trickier to catch than the other.
He said: “The first to be trapped was Daffodil, who was herded using a paddleboard.
“But Trifle was more troublesome as she was frightened by the board.”
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Daffodil has now been released into the sea at Horsey Beach, Norfolk, after a short stay at East Winch Wildlife Centre, while Trifle will be set free once she’s passed her health checks.
Mr Goldsmith added: “What has been so nice is the compassion shown by everyone for the welfare of the seals.
“We are grateful to a number of stakeholders who assisted with this project for the common seals to be returned to the coastal environment.
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“Meticulous planning went into the capture effort to ensure there was minimal disruption to the local area and low stress to the seals.
“Both were in reasonable health, although they had depleted the food source within the immediate area of the River Nene.”
Rob Harris, chairman of the Peterborough and District Angling Association, said the animals had caused major problems for local anglers.
He said: “Since the seals arrived, the stock of adult fish in that stretch has declined by 95 per cent.
“You can’t put an overwhelming marine predator into an environment that can’t sustain it.
“The seals were going to become very hungry as they ran out of fish – moving them was the best result for them.”
He added that the river’s fish population could take up to 30 years to recover.
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