Fur seal that made headlines after getting photographed on top of a car returns to wild in Australia

A fur seal, named "Mr Lou-seal" by the local police, which made headlines after getting photographed on top of a car in Launceston, Tasmania, on Monday, 26 December has been returned to the wild.

According to reports, the seal – which weighs around 200kg (441lb) – was first anesthetised and then taken to a river for the release. Wildlife biologist Rachael Alderman, from the Marine Conservation Program, said the relocation happened without confrontation after the sedative wore off.

"It ended well apart from the poor person with the car," Alderman told the BBC on Wednesday.

It was believed that the large animal travelled to Launceston - about 50km (31 miles) from the sea - through nearby waterways.

Alderman said that this time of the year is breeding season for fur seals and it's not so unusual to spot them at strange places.

"There are changes to hormones, so we do get a spike in these large males turning up in places that are a bit unusual. I guess the thing that was not standard (this time) was that it was on a car bonnet and the amount of media interest that it generated," she added.

While, William Gregory, on whose car bonnet the mammal was found, said the seal caused minor damage to the car.

"We got up and there was this great big seal on the roof of the car which is definitely not what you'd expect on Boxing Day. We'll replace the windscreen and pop a few dents out, they're just old cars so it doesn't really matter. It's worth it," he told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.