Saving our Sealife (cont'd)

following morning. However, if an animal requires further care, it will remain at the vet clinic or with a wildlife carer, until it’s ready to be returned to the wild.

Returns are always a special moment for the team. “Having worked through all the calls, the thoughts on how to rescue the animal, to then taking it through medical treatment, seeing it fly or waddle off back to its habitat is definitely the best part of the job,” reveals Ebony.

Keep your distance

Thankfully, no intervention was required for the wandering southern elephant seal, whose summer exploits were brought on by a need to find somewhere to moult. But if he – or any other marine animal – appears on the beach, Ebony encourages people to respect the animal’s space. Seals are protected under Victorian law, which means that on land, people must maintain a minimum distance of 30 metres, or 50 metres if they’re walking a dog.

“Those regulations are made to protect seals as well as humans,” explains Ebony. “A seal that is resting on a beach might not be well and approaching that animal might disturb it. It might feel threatened and go out into a rough ocean and not have the energy to swim.”

If you see an injured or distressed animal, Ebony recommends calling the MRU. “We can chat through what you have observed,” she says. “It’s about making sure the right people know, so the right people can help and ultimately give marine life the best welfare outcomes.” ZN