A young southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) rests on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 6, 2026. The unusual visitor has drawn attention along the coast in recent days after being seen in So£o Conrado, across Guanabara Bay in Icarao­, Nitero³i, and now Copacabana. The young animal, which normally inhabits colder waters of the Southern Hemisphere, has attracted curious bathers and beachgoers at each stop. Experts advise people to observe the animal from a safe distance and not approach, touch, feed or attempt to return it to the water. One possibility raised by experts is that the seal traveled north from southern South America, potentially from the regi - ZUMAk251 20261006_znp_k251_008

October 6, 2026, Rio De Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: A young southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) rests on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 6, 2026. The unusual visitor has drawn attention along the coast in recent days after being seen in So£o Conrado, across Guanabara Bay in Icarao­, Nitero³i, and now Copacabana. The young animal, which normally inhabits colder waters of the Southern Hemisphere, has attracted curious bathers and beachgoers at each stop. Experts advise people to observe the animal from a safe distance and not approach, touch, feed or attempt to return it to the water. One possibility raised by experts is that the seal traveled north from southern South America, potentially from the regi - ZUMAk251 20261006_znp_k251_008