A stray seal which washed up on the shores of Bermuda has graduated from 'fish smoothies' to whole herring.

The Atlantic Harbour Seal, which is being cared for at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo, is "doing better", according to acting curator Dr. Ian Walker.

He was spotted over a week ago at Admiralty Park and then Hamilton Harbour, and was transported to a quarantine tank at BAMZ for treatment, clearly dehydrated and exhausted.

It is thought the seal was carried on ocean currents from the US north-eastern seaboard or Canada, and possibly became swept along in the Gulf Stream.

According to records, he is only the third such seal to be seen in Bermuda's waters in 100 years.

Last week Dr. Walker said stranded seals only have a ten percent survival rate, but he told The Royal Gazette: "He may have some hidden energy."

Yesterday that appeared to hold true, with Dr. Walker reporting that the seal was now well enough to chow down on whole fish, rather than the "fish smoothies" the Aquarium staff have been feeding him.

"He's showing more interest in his surroundings now and is more reactive to everything going on," said Dr. Walker.

"He even fights us when we try to give him his antibiotics."

BAMZ staff were administering the seal a 'fish gruel' of caplin, mackerel, herring, vitamins and antibiotics, via a tube. But Dr. Walker was pleased to report yesterday: "He ate three whole herring this morning."

The team now hope the seal can be returned to the eastern seaboard released back into the wild from a North American rehabilitation centre.

They are currently awaiting blood test results, which will show whether the animal has any diseases.

"This guy has gone through a terrible experience and so we will just have to wait and see what happens," said Dr. Walker. "We are triaging all his problems as they come up and hope to get him out to the States.

"I figured if we could get him past seven days he is doing OK, and it's now eight, but at 14 I will be feeling a little more comfortable."