Local seal’s saucy practices entertains countless Aussies: ‘Mind of his very own’

As Aussies invest their Easter weekend break lolling on the coastlines of coastlines and rivers throughout the nation, one community is trying to draw a lot more site visitors with its vibrant regional mascot– Sammy the seal.

Several video clips of the lively animal frolicking in the water under Windang Bridge have actually been making the rounds online today as locals in Shellharbour promote the seaside city to be called NSW’s Top Tourism Town.

In the video, Sammy can be seen doing his– or her– hallmark step of existing bottom-side-up with their fins airborne, enjoyable residents and visitors, a few of which claimed they wished to see the “beautiful” seal when they visit.

“He’s definitely got a mind of his own,” Bec Dunning, from SUP Shellharbour, informedYahoo News “We pretty much go past him almost every day.”

Dunning, that found Sammy once more on Wednesday “wagging his tail” at her and a client while “hiding” behind one of the bridge’s concrete pylons, clarified the seal has actually been residing in the location “for years”.

“A lot of the residents say that he’s always been here. We’ve had up to three seals underneath, and recently it’s just been the one,” she claimed. “They do those little barrel rolls. We sort of wonder if they’re using the pylons on the bridge for a bit of a massage.”

There are likewise frequently “lots of fish” that Sammy most likely treats on throughout the day.

Why is Sammy bottom-side-up with his fins airborne?

Speaking to Yahoo, Sea World Curator of Animal Welfare and Operations, Mitchell Leroy, clarified that Sammy’s charming bottom-side-up manoeuvre is called “sailing” and is a “way for the animal to thermoregulate”.

“Meaning that they use the flippers above the water to either cool down or in most cases warm up. This means they don’t have to get out of the water just to stay warm,” he claimed.

Leroy included that it is “quite common” for seals to occupy places for time periods. “There are many who move away during the year for different life stages, such as breeding season, only to return to the locations where they spend other times such as winter.

“It is most likely dependent on prior learning and success in behaviours such as successful hunting, predator avoidance or mate selection.”

Seal’s saucy Meerkat step go crazy regional

Dunning informed Yahoo that Sammy can occasionally “gets a little scared”, specifically if there are jet skis around or building and construction on the bridge.

“But generally we can go under there, chill out for a little bit, have a good look at him and then move on and see him on the way back as well,” she claimed.

“Once I came through with a couple of guests, and couldn’t see him, and then all of a sudden he popped up behind us, had a look like a little Meerkat, and sort of followed me for a little bit, and then pushed away, and went swimming off somewhere else,” the regional included, chuckling concerning the seal’s saucy shenanigans.

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