Baby seal born in aquarium in Aomori, northern Japan
An aquarium in the northern Japanese city of Aomori has a new baby spotted seal. It's the first pup to be born there in two years.
The baby seal was born on April 28 at Aquarium Asamushi and is growing steadily. It's about 1 meter long and weighs just over 22 kilograms.
The baby's mother, Mei, was rescued from the coast of Rokkasho Village in Aomori Prefecture 15 years ago. The father, Kibou, has been on loan from an aquarium in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, for 12 years.
The pup, covered in soft white baby fur, was seen cuddling up to and nursing from its mother, delighting visitors with its irresistibly cute appearance.
The aquarium says the pup will begin to shed its white fur in about a week, gradually revealing the signature spotted pattern.
A four-year-old girl visiting the aquarium said this is the first baby seal she has seen and its face is cute.
An aquarium worker said the pup is gaining weight every day and growing well. She said its spots will start to show more clearly in about a week. She hopes that people can enjoy the baby seal's peak cuteness while it lasts.
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