Nelly appeared stranded on the coast of Zarubino, in eastern Russia, carried by the current to the shore. There she should have waited for her mother to find the right moment to rescue her. Instead, she found a crowd.
For hours, dozens of people took turns petting her, squeezing her, and photographing her while the pup cried in fear. Her mother swam nearby, waiting for an opportunity that never came. When she finally managed to get close, she sniffed her, but the human scent had already covered everything. She returned to the water alone and, as night fell, swam away forever.
Activists managed to disperse the people too late. Nelly was taken to a rehabilitation center in severe shock, but the veterinarians could not save her. The center explained that seal pups are extremely sensitive to stress: excessive adrenaline and cortisol hormones can kill them. No one touched her intending to harm her. And yet, they killed her with caresses. How many people need to learn about this before they leave wild animals alone?