Seal fed plastic bags, rotted fish food - dies Melbourne, VIC (AU) Incident Date: Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 Disposition: Alleged Case Images: 1 files available Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 7810 Classification: Unclassified Animal: marine animal (pet) View more cases in VIC (AU) Login to Watch this Case

An elephant seal dubbed "Cliff" was fed plastic bags and had one stuffed up its nostril shortly before they were forced to destroy him, according to a wildlife group. Wildlife Help on Mornington Peninsula volunteers said they had witnessed several acts of cruelty towards the seal in the last week of its life and had set up a 24-hour guard after a group of men allegedly threatened to kill it. "Sadly for him, he began to trust people, which ultimately caused his death," volunteer Kim Masters said yesterday. "The whole thing was a disaster and even well-meaning people feeding him did him damage."

Melbourne Zoo veterinarians and Department of Sustainability and Environment wildlife officers decided to put the emaciated seal down at Mornington on March 21, 2006 after its health deteriorated rapidly. DSE wildlife spokesman Ron Waters said the exact cause of Cliff's decline was not yet known and results of an autopsy could take weeks. Mr Waters said the young male elephant seal had lacked the strength to make the long journey back to its feeding grounds in sub-Antarctic waters. The Victorian coastline was at the periphery of its normal habitat range.
He said the department had been arranging for a security guard to watch over the seal on the eve of its death after mounting fears for its safety.

The elephant seal � dubbed Cliff after it was first spotted at Queenscliff in September 2005 � had entertained people with its appearances around Port Phillip Bay beaches throughout summer.
Wildlife volunteers say that in the last week of the seal's life, at Mothers Beach in Mornington, plastic bags were put in its open mouth, sticks were thrown at it and warning signs were stolen.
"Tragically on March 20, 2006 some young men emptied a bin of rotting fish parts from a fish-cleaning area into the water where Cliff was eagerly waiting," Ms Masters said. "The young men ignored the desperate pleas of the seal watch volunteer to stop what they were doing. Cliff ate the rotting food before it could be gathered up."

Mr Waters said the allegations of abuse would be investigated. Anyone found responsible would face fines of $12,000 or 12 months' jail for aggravated cruelty to an animal. "If we can substantiate it and find them, we will throw the book at them," he said. Feeding animals incorrect food threatened their health and often altered their behaviour, making them aggressive and dependent on humans for food, he said.

Add this case to:

Del.icio.us

|

Digg

|

Furl

|

References

The Age News - March 22, 2006

Not sure what these icons mean? Click here.

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.