During the day the seal had flopped onto the deck during high tide and had lain on the deck sleeping all day. We had noticed a piece of yellow plastic cord wrapped around the seals neck which seemed to have prevented it from eating which explained why it was so under weight.
The National Parks Service arrived in the afternoon and classified it as a male New Zealand fur seal and fenced off and area for it so it wouldn't be disturbed. We were told to be quiet and to let it rest while the NPS debated solutions. They were reluctant to approach it for fear of angering it and having it swim away still caught in the plastic so they decided that a representative would stay with it overnight until the Taronga Zoo specialists came to collect it in the morning where it would be nursed back to health at the zoo.
This is a very real example of what can happen to the marine life when we don't look after our environment. Someone out there has been so careless to not properly dispose of their plastic and it has put a very beautiful creature in a near death situation. It is so important that we keep these animals safe by properly managing our pollution and minimizing it where possible.
We named the seal Skiffie after the Skiff Club and we thank the National Parks and Taronga Zoo for helping the save Skiffie.
#SaveSkiffie