Richard Hogan: Admire seals — and other wild creatures — from a distance only

An elephant seal in Canada was moved 200km for his health and the safety of locals... within a week he was back, having swum some 30km each day

Another road in British Columbia has been closed temporarily as Emerson the seal has been crossing. "Efforts are underway to move him back down the beach to avoid an accident". Picture: @OakBayPolice

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Emerson, according to Nietzsche, was "the most gifted of the Americans". In the 1830s and 40s, he developed the philosophy known as ‘transcendentalism’. It held that each person is intimately connected with Nature and with all human kind. Nor is there any need for organised churches. Now, 140 years after his death, this champion of individualism has received yet another accolade... an individualistic animal has been named after him.