Seal no longer allowed to take cat naps in the park
It's tough work to find that perfect sunbathing spot by the water, but this Australian fur seal will have to look for another one.
Dubbed "Sealvester," a neighbourhood seal has been blocked from its go-to nap spot in the eastern Sydney suburb of Rushcutters Bay.
Following advice from NSW National Parks, the barriers were set up by Sydney council workers to encourage the seal to move on.
"As Rushcutters Bay Park is frequented by residents, our parks staff have set up barriers as a precaution to protect the seal and the public," a City of Sydney spokesperson told Mashable.
Sealvester, a 100-kilogram male Australian fur seal, according to the ABC, had been snapped by residents since Saturday, with images and videos appearing on social media.
When he wasn't sunning himself on the steps, Sealvester went for a dip around the yachts and boats anchored in the bay.
As of Tuesday, the area had been cordoned off by the City of Sydney, in an effort to protect the seal from the likes of humans and dogs, and vice versa.
"Never walk between a seal and the water," the sign read. "Seals move fast on land and may bite if frightened."
According to the ABC, the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) has been monitoring Sealvester (they even came up with his excellent, excellent name), and said he was in good health. The broadcaster noted the closest breeding colony for Australian fur seals is on Montague Island, and ORRCA has tabs on a handful of these seals hanging out in Sydney Harbour.
Plus, Sydney's no stranger to random seals showing up on the steps of a human-frequented spot — this one makes headlines every time it hits up the Sydney Opera House steps.
Topics Animals
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.
