ENVIRONMENT Agency experts are working with local wildlife groups to see if seals who were spotted miles from their natural habitat on the river in Chester need to be rescued.
One grey seal has already been taken to an RSPCA centre after spending too long in the fresh water part of the River Dee, almost certainly chasing salmon which were returning after spawning.
Adele Edwards, of Chester's Friends of the Meadow group, said there had been many sightings in recent weeks of seals on the River Dee.
One had been spotted between the Royal Chester Rowing Club and the Queen's Park Rowing Club, up to 12 miles away from their normal habitat.
This is above the weir, a small dam constructed to raise or regulate the river's water level.
Mrs Edwards said: "Some members noticed the seal had come out of the water. There had been sightings of it for at least two weeks in the area.
"But they became quite concerned when it did not get back in the river after a dog approached it, and called the RSPCA who took it off to be checked out and I believe planned to release it back into the estuary."
Mrs Edwards said: "Maybe it wasn't feeling too well after swimming in the fresh water for so long."
The rescue coincides with sightings of another seal, also thought to be a grey seal from the large population which is located off Hilbre Island. This was seen below the weir in the Dee at Chester.
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