https://reddit.com/link/1t2g6zb/video/e8rhxejzzvyg1/player
Polar explorers at the Fedorov meteorological station (Northern Hydrometeorological Service), located on Cape Chelyuskin, shared a story about a ringed seal that made its home at the station's tide gauge post on the Kara Sea ice.
No one at the station expected the tide gauge "shack" to become a perfect shelter for a small seal. However, the seal chose this spot for its comfortable climate: a metal box with a lid and a halogen lamp illuminate and warm the space above a wide hole in the sea ice. In freezing temperatures, it’s a paradise for a seal. While the explorers' dogs scratch at the door asking to come in from the cold, the seal swims into the gauge post uninvited. "Zvezdochka is fascinating; watching her is as relaxing as staring at a fire or flowing water. Every time I approach the tide gauge, I hope she’s there — it makes work more interesting. You could say she’s my motivation to head out to the sea during the cold polar night," Artyom Mineev told "Rodina" special correspondent. "The dogs come with me too, and sometimes we watch her together.
https://reddit.com/link/1t2g6zb/video/a4ek36dmzvyg1/player
Recently, I saw how sleepy she was, yawning and rolling around the ice hole." The seal treats the spot like her own bathtub, lounging in the tide gauge as if it were a jacuzzi.
According to the meteorologist, Zvezdochka has recently started growling and hissing, even trying to climb out a few times, grabbing the gauge rod with her teeth. Meanwhile, Artyom Mineev came up with a toy for his favorite guest: he lowers a vitamin bottle on a string into the water, and the seal bats at it with her flippers.
"You shine a flashlight, and after a bit, she pops up. She’s curious! The seal is happy, and so are we," Alexander Fantalov admitted.