IT turns out locals are not the only ones enjoying the warm winter sunshine.
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Mother Nature put on an impressive display down at Nobbys Beach on Monday. As a leopard seal sunbaked on the sand, two humpback whales jumped for joy off the coast.
While the happy-looking seal grabbed plenty of attention, it turns out that grin was actually more menacing than it seemed. The seal’s friendly demeanour was actually a warning to leave it alone and its visit in town prompted a safety warning.
“This type of seal can be quite dangerous and there are cases of some nasty bites, so we are reminding people to enjoy from a distance,” Jacqueline O’Neill, president of the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia, said.
“Legally people should remain 40 metres away.”
Leopard seals can be very defensive creatures and have the strength and speed to capture and eat smaller animals such as penguins.
“They come for a rest and stay a couple of hours, to a couple of days,” Ms O’Neill said.
“We have had such nice weather and good sea conditions recently. Excuse the pun but the wildlife is having a whale of a time.”
National Parks and Wildlife will monitor the seal while he remains in town.
The whale watching season runs from mid-May to August when humpbacks migrate north to their calving ground in the South Pacific region.