Nana, a rescued male spotted seal, returned to Dachangshan Island six days after officials released him off Haiyang Island in China’s Liaoning Province. Reports put his journey at about 200 kilometers when detours are included; the straight-line distance between the release area and his return location was about 140 kilometers.
Where is Nana now?
According to VnExpress International’s September 2026 report, which drew on Xinhua and local sources, Nana hauled himself onto a floating pontoon at Golden Beach on Dachangshan Island at 9:35 p.m. on September 13. He had been released into waters off Haiyang Island on September 7, with the aim of placing him among wild spotted seals.
County officials reportedly plan to leave him where he is rather than relocate him again. They say they intend to provide a resting structure called “Nana’s Home” and patrol the area to reduce disturbance while he hunts and lives as a wild animal. The county chief, Zhang Shengzu, said: “We will respect nature and respect Nana’s choice, and will not intervene blindly.”
How far did Nana swim?
Tian Jiashen of the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute estimated the straight-line distance between the release area and Nana’s return location at about 140 kilometers. The reported route was about 200 kilometers after detours, according to VnExpress. The longer figure describes an estimated route, not a straight-line measurement.
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Why did Nana swim back?
No single reason has been established. Experts cited in the reports offered several possible influences, not a confirmed explanation of Nana’s motive.
- Navigation and habitat choice: Tian Jiashen said spotted seals have “extremely strong navigation and positioning abilities and choose suitable habitats on their own.”
- Familiarity with people: VnExpress reported Tian linked Nana’s tendency to approach people to his prolonged care by humans and the absence of a group of seals after his release.
- Food, safety, and memory: Wang Xin, a marine science lecturer at Dalian Ocean University, told Science and Technology Daily that these factors may have influenced Nana’s return.
These explanations are consistent with expert interpretations reported by the outlets, but they do not establish exactly what Nana sensed or why he chose that location.
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Who is Nana?
VnExpress reported that Nana was born in Liaodong Bay around early 2024 and was found later that year near Beihai in southern Guangxi, far from the bay, after becoming lost during his first migration. He was injured and lying on floating foam boards. Beihai’s ocean bureau began his rescue in October 2024.
During more than a year of care, his reported weight increased from 35 kilograms to 50 kilograms. He was flown to Dalian on November 25, 2025, for rewilding training. On April 16, 2026, he was released near Sanshan Island with four other seals. The report says he later settled around Dachangshan, where he approached tourists and climbed onto paddleboards and speedboats. This chronology comes from news reporting; rescue records were not independently reviewed.
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Nana is male, although the report notes that the name is commonly given to girls.
Will officials move him again?
According to the reported county plan, officials do not intend another relocation. Zhang Yong, director of Changhai County’s Marine Development Bureau, said they planned a resting structure and regular patrols to limit human disturbance. The original county notice and the implementation status of those plans were not independently verified.
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A county appeal reported by VnExpress asks visitors not to crowd, feed, chase, touch, or otherwise disturb Nana. Giving a wild seal space is especially important when it is resting or approaching shore; visitors should watch from a distance and follow local instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Nana’s return is not a simple “homing” story
The reports describe a striking return, but they do not show that Nana deliberately set out to get back to a particular human-populated spot. A route estimate, observations of his behavior, and experts’ possible explanations are not the same as direct evidence of his intention. The careful conclusion is that he returned to the island area after release, while the precise route and reasons remain interpreted from reported observations.
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VnExpress also reported a figure of about 2,000 spotted seals, attributing it to Xinhua. The underlying survey and its method were not available in the reporting reviewed here, so the number should be understood as a reported estimate rather than a newly verified count.
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