A giant elephant seal created international headlines after a day of mayhem at Point Lonsdale last month. Photos supplied.
A large elephant seal stopped traffic, smashed windows and had onlookers reaching for their mobile phones during several hours of mayhem last month.
The curious mammal wandered ashore at The Springs beach on Friday 20 January, before making its way up onto the promenade path, across parkland and on to the Point Lonsdale Road.
It smashed two windows at the Point Lonsdale BP service station during the escapade.
Police set up barricades to protect the seal from harm, before wildlife officers eventually managed herd it back to sea.
Footage of its antics went viral and featured on international news bulletins.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) advised that while it had moved on for now, the seal could remain in local waters for some time. The same seal is believed to have popped up on beaches at Blairgowrie.
“Officers and other authorities will continue to monitor the situation,” the department said. “The public must stay at least 30 metres away and 50 metres if with a dog. Seals can become defensive if approached by humans or animals.”
Penalties apply to anyone who ignores the rules.
The seal’s antics prompted recollections of Henry, a regular visitor to Point Lonsdale who made international headlines in the mid 2000’s.
Henry is thought too have died in around 2006 after failing to show up for his annual moult.
Elephant seals spend one month a year on land where they undergo a ‘catastrophic moult’ in which they shed all of their fur along with the underlying layer of skin.
to edit.
The curious mammal wandered ashore at The Springs beach on Friday 20 January, before making its way up onto the promenade path, across parkland and on to the Point Lonsdale Road.
It smashed two windows at the Point Lonsdale BP service station during the escapade.
Police set up barricades to protect the seal from harm, before wildlife officers eventually managed herd it back to sea.
Footage of its antics went viral and featured on international news bulletins.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) advised that while it had moved on for now, the seal could remain in local waters for some time. The same seal is believed to have popped up on beaches at Blairgowrie.
“Officers and other authorities will continue to monitor the situation,” the department said. “The public must stay at least 30 metres away and 50 metres if with a dog. Seals can become defensive if approached by humans or animals.”
Penalties apply to anyone who ignores the rules.
The seal’s antics prompted recollections of Henry, a regular visitor to Point Lonsdale who made international headlines in the mid 2000’s.
Henry is thought too have died in around 2006 after failing to show up for his annual moult.
Elephant seals spend one month a year on land where they undergo a ‘catastrophic moult’ in which they shed all of their fur along with the underlying layer of skin.
to edit.