Leave seals to rest
Date: 03 September 2008
New Zealand fur seal
The mauling of a young seal by roaming dogs at Wainui Beach north of Gisborne last week has Department of Conservation (DOC) staff appealing to the public for help. DOC Programme Manager, Jamie Quirk said today that the department received a report on Friday that a juvenile seal had come ashore and was resting on the beach at Wainui.
"We checked the seal and it was healthy and resting on the beach. We put a sign near the animal to warn people to keep away from the seal. Unfortunately, while most members of the public are very good at allowing these wild animals some space, some dog owners are not so responsible. On Sunday morning, we had a report that the seal had been mauled by roaming dogs and it later died," Mr Quirk said.
DOC staff have raised the issue of roaming dogs on beaches with Gisborne District Council dog rangers and have had an assurance that staff will be monitoring the situation.
Another weekend incident also highlighted the need for people to behave with commonsense near seals. DOC received a report of a seal pup at Midway Beach. Apparently when a member of the public attempted to pat the seal, the animal lunged at the person who then skinned both elbows while attempting to jump out of the way.
"The person involved was very lucky that they did not suffer far more serious injuries. People should remember that seals are wild animals, not pets. They can move surprisingly fast, particularly if they feel threatened. They have very sharp teeth and can carry infectious diseases that are harmful to humans and difficult to treat, Mr Quirk said.
DOC staff are grateful to people who report seals on beaches, particularly if there is a likelihood of danger to the animal or to the public. In most cases, seals come ashore to rest and do not require human intervention.
"In the past, seal populations have been decimated by hunting. Since they have had legal protection, numbers have slowly recovered and it's really great that people have an opportunity to see wildlife on beaches near population centres. Sadly, the actions of a few irresponsible dog owners may ruin this opportunity.
"Seals have been resting on New Zealand beaches since long before humans reached this country. It is a small thing to ask that they be allowed to enjoy a few hours of uninterrupted beach space over the winter months," Mr Quirk said.
Anyone wishing to report a sick or endangered seal should contact the nearest DOC office or phone 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362468).
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