the net. Tama-chan disappeared out of sight a few days later. When Tama-chan reappeared in Nakagawa river in Tokyo with a fishing hook embedded in his right eyebrow, it made national headline news and Japan's Environment Minister Shun'ichi Suzuki was asked about the well-being of the animal. Last sighting Tama-chan lived in the Arakawa River. Attention from the media, not to mention the Pana Wave Laboratory, faded, and the crowds reduced to a handful of Tama-chan watchers and amateur photographers. Signs in the vicinity warned people that anyone attempting to capture or harm the animal would be prosecuted, and that the river bank was under CCTV surveillance. The last confirmed sighting occurred on April 12, 2004. In following years, a number of other seals have been spotted around Japan. In 2004 "Kamo-chan", a one year old spotted seal, was spotted near Kamogawa, Chiba and in 2011 "Ara-chan", another spotted seal, appeared in Saitama Prefecture's Arakawa river in 2011. See also Slippery the Sea Lion Benny the Beluga Whale References Individual animals in Japan Individual wild animals Wayward seals and sea lions