Was His Fate Sealed?

I stumbled across this furry fellow last Monday afternoon, lying motionless on Seven Mile Beach. A small group of young people were maintaining a protective vigil. I think they believed the creature was close to its last breath.

Later, through binoculars, I watched the progress of the waves as the tide rose until it met the sleeping seal, then darkness fell.

Yesterday I searched the sand and our visitor had returned to the sea.

I have no idea how far our caller had come. My amateurish knowledge suggests it may be a New Zealand sea lion, but I’m open to be corrected. Wherever – it needed a good rest.

One of my great joys is to encounter life in the wild.