A SEAL well known in Cornish waters has found its way to Devon and been identified as ‘Buttons’.

Pat Shepherd often watches seals that go up and down the River Dart from the sea and estuary at Dartmouth all the way to the weir section of the river in Totnes (behind the Dairy Crest site).

Pat said: ‘‘It always takes people by surprise that they come so far up a river.

“Being a regular dog walker along the river especially earlier in the morning I have frequently seen the seals, sometimes a lone one but sometimes I have seen a family of them. They do love the salmon!

‘‘Yet again this week when walking I watched one which was quite close off the Steamer Quay (where the ferry docks) centre of Totnes and whipped out the phone camera and took some pics as the seal surfaced munching a salmon.’’

Pat shared the pictures with friends on Facebook and discovered one friend was particularly involved with the Cornwall Seal Group.

“She identified the seal as female and said they would check their records to see if they could ID her

“I thought it was not very likely as we are all the way up here in Devon but amazingly they did.”

‘Buttons’ has been spotted with two pups at the Lizard in 2014 and another at Cape Cornwall in 2020. She is a well travelled lady!