Rathlin seal with black tubing around its neck being monitored

Mr Morrison said those looking to catch the seal would need to “more or less” jump on it, which would require being very close.

“At the moment, it looks far too fit and healthy, it’s sat at the edge of the water,” he said.

“We’re not going to get within a couple of hundred metres of it, never mind get hands on it.”

Mr Morrison said this is good news as despite the piping the seal looks “really healthy”.

“It’s showing all the signs we really want to see; head up, tail up, it looks nice and fat,” he said.

The keeper said the seal appeared to be hunting well and it had not shown any signs of slowing down, despite the tube.