"You're so good!" A seal pup rescued from the ice of Lake Baikal tried to swim for the first time.
Three years on Baikal works Nerpaland. They help seal pups who have been left alone. The newest arrival, a Baikal seal pup, arrived just over two weeks ago. First, they taught him to eat on his own—he had small pieces of herring in his bowl. Then he went into a snowdrift to learn how to build a shelter.
"You're so great!" his girlfriend encourages him endlessly in the video.
At Nerpaland, they say he's gaining weight and growing well. Now it's time for a swim. At first, seal pups are afraid of water, animal rights activists explained. But they're gradually getting used to it: they're starting out in a small container; he's still a long way from swimming in deep water. But they're confident he'll definitely return to his native Lake Baikal.
Video: Instagram nerpaland

