In spectacular scenes, a lost seal was rescued from Jellat Jellat farmland and released into the Bega River mouth on Tuesday morning.
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Jellat Jellat’s Corrie Shepherd saw the New Zealand fur seal making its way on to the paddock from the banks of Jellat Jellat Creek.
“I thought that's a strange looking cow,” she said with a big smile.
“He came out of the creek which makes sense.”
Ms Shepherd’s first call was to NSW Police, who advised her to contact NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
NPWS rangers from Merimbula and Tanja were quickly joined by Bega Valley Shire Council Rangers who helped wrangle, transport and release the lost animal into the river mouth at Mogareeka Inlet, north of Tathra.
NPWS’s Grant Brewer used a purpose built net to sling over the animal and fellow ranger Brett Evans was first to pounce on the healthy male seal.
Mr Brewer said the seal had been sighted in the Bega River at Jellat Jellat over the last few days.
While they have received training in dealing with the animals, another NPWS ranger described the seal being on the farmland as “very odd”.
