During last weekend kayakers on a stretch of the River Ijzer at Alveringem (West Flanders) reported spotting a seal swimming in the river. Given that Alveringem is 20km inland it is quite exceptional to see a seal swimming on the river there. It is likely that the seal managed to get through the sea sluice at Nieuwpoort. It is not exceptional to find seals in fresh water. However, they are not often found so far inland.
Marilyn Missiaen saw the seal at the Kallebrug in Beveren, a village in the municipality of Alveringem (West Flanders).
She told VRT News that "I was sat on the riverbank with a friend watching the kayakers. Suddenly we saw something emerge from the water. We looked at each other and said, ‘was that a seal?’ We thought that it was strange to see one in Alveringem. When the next group of kayakers passed by, we asked them about the seal. They told us that some fellow kayakers had indeed seen a seal.
"In the afternoon I called SeaLife and they said that seals often end up in fresh water and in the River IJzer."