Rare Cornish seal pup released back into the wild after amazing recovery

• Watch the wonderful moment Liquorice was released back into the wild.

A rare grey seal pup rescued from Cornwall’s coastline has been returned to the wild after making an amazing recovery.

Liquorice is "melanistic", which means she’s completely black from head to toe, something seen in just one in 400 grey seals.

She was underweight and suffering from breathing problems when she was spotted by some local walkers back in January and taken into the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

Now she has made a successful return to the sea after receiving expert care from the sanctuary’s animal care team.

Tamara Cooper, the sanctuary’s curator, said: “Liquorice is a really interesting pup, and we believe it’s just the third time in 20 years that a melanistic pup has been in our care.

"Her rare colouring made her an international hit, with visitors from across the UK and beyond making a special visit to the Sanctuary to see her.

"While it’s sad to see her go, we know the wild is the best place for her and we’re sure she will now thrive in the place where she is supposed to be."

Liquorice has returned to the sea with two fellow pups, Sage and Turmeric.

Sage was admitted to the Sanctuary in early March with multiple wounds and a broken digit, while Turmeric was rescued in January and eventually had an eye removed to prevent rupture.

Both have made a complete recovery and have returned to the wild, alongside Liquorice, as the Cornish Seal Sanctuary comes to the end of another busy pup season.

Melanism is caused when too much of the pigment melanin has been produced and appears in seals by giving them black eyes, fur and nails.

The condition is even rarer in female seals, who are typically lighter in colour than their male counterparts.