A seal has taken the extraordinary step of coming ashore at Hastings and attempted to present a petition against AGL’s plan to moor a floating gas terminal in Crib Point.
As one of the only sea-based creatures with the ability to walk on land, it is believed the seal was given the dangerous task to traverse the wetlands to present the document.
It is believed the male New Zealand long nose fur seal was heading to Greg Hunt’s offices.
The seal was confronted by a member of the AGL Marine Response Unit who, accompanied by a specialist interpreter, tried to negotiate with the seal, but he refused to be moved back to the aquatic environment from whence he came.
The boardwalk was blocked for over eight hours as negotiations took place. Mums with their kids on BMX bikes were left banked up at either end of the boardwalk unable to enjoy an autumn ride.
TPR’s own Derrick DiMaggio was on scene and rang through an exclusive report.
“The seal is as mad as hell, and is going to take a leg off if someone isn’t careful. He is growling and I can smell his breathe from 15 metres away.”
Eventually the seal made a run for it up Kings Creek, heading towards the football ground. It is not known if he intended to take that route to Mr Hunt’s office or if he’d abandoned his cause and was heading to the Hastings Club for a parma and to drop a few coins into the pokies.
While work has started on preparing the existing jetty at Crib Point for the more than 300 metre long floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), no government approvals have yet been given.
More importantly, it seems, marine life has not be consulted.
