Elephant seal reportedly fleeing off-leash dogs rescued from side of Saanich highway
A wayward elephant seal that was spotted off the side of the Trans-Canada Highway in Saanich was safely relocated by police and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on Monday.
Saanich police say they received a report of the seal lying in an embankment on the side of the highway near Burnside Road West just after 1 p.m.
Police passed the information on to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and officers with Saanich police and the DFO met at the side of the highway.
The groups then worked together to move the moulting elephant seal to the nearby Colquitz Creek.
"The poor thing was super tired," said Mandy Ludlow, a DFO officer and detachment commander for southern Vancouver Island.
Ludlow says it was a difficult operation escorting the approximately 250 to 285 pound seal back to the waters of Colquitz Creek.
The fishery officer says the seal was spooked from its moulting spot near the creek by off-leash dogs and humans.
"It hauled out of Colquitz Creek, according to witnesses, because people and off-leash dogs were coming up to it, which triggers a response to the animal to get the heck out of there," she said.
"So the poor thing hauled across the long flat area, across a bank and stumps, across a walking trail, and then across another bank and another walking trail – and it was accosted by dogs again," said Ludlow.
The fishery officer estimates that the DFO and Saanich police officers spent about three hours trying to coax the seal back along the path it came from, and that dogs continued to pester the marine mammal.
"During that time there were several off-leash dogs that came and disturbed it," she said.
"I was pretty disappointed. One owner didn't even have a leash and armed officers were trying to tell the owner to get it under control, and it really wasn't," she added.
Ludlow says she'll be following up with the District of Saanich about animal control in the area, since other wildlife, such as migratory birds, also take sanctuary in the region.
She urges people to respect wildlife and to keep their pets under control.
Elephant seals usually spend one month each year coming on shore to moult.
Moulting involves shedding all of the seal's fur and underlying layer of skin, according to the DFO website.
During this time, the seals can look sickly and lose up to 25 per cent of their body weight. However, the process is normal, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
People who see a moulting elephant seal should keep their distance and not bother the animal.
"It may look slow and harmless, but [the seal] is capable of moving very quickly and could be dangerous if it feels threatened," reads the DFO website.
"If you see an animal being harassed or injured or an injured or sick animal exhibiting highly unusual behaviour, please call DFO’s Observe, Record and Report 24-hour hotline at 1-800-465-4336."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.