Just Every So Often, You Just Know You Doing Right

Just Every So Often, You Just Know You Doing Right. The morning I received a call about a stranded bull seal. These rescues are normally very difficult as trying to get a big bull to eat or accept handling without getting bitten to pieces is no easy task. But instead I found a poor soul starving to death slowly, he was so weak he could hardly move. I suspect the cause of his problem was a severely torn snout mostly likely caused during a bull fight during mating season. The problem his snout was completely torn open and he was clearly unable to close his nostrils when diving to hunt fish, and as such was starving to death. In situations like these it is best to start off with a working relationship. This is achieved by talking to him, allowing you to approach closer, and then physically making contact, reassuring him all the time, that you are friend not foe. His response was instantaneous and now I could begin saving his life just before Christmas. I started tossing fish onto his flippers, urging him to try and swallow. Little by little he tried and eventually started eating. During which I administered antibiotics into the fish given. Slowly but surely I lead him over the rocks to my bakkie, where with a little encouragement he climbed abroad. By now a large crowd of people had gathered, and they were just amazed a wild bull seal could be handled so easily. In the bakkie I placed a net over him to prevent him falling out and drove back to centre. Once again I lead him out the bakkie and into the centre, where he was then given more fish, so that he understands that this is his place of help and recovery over the months ahead. Easy peasy, no fuss, no violation of his freedom. Just two species working together to save each other in one’s hour of need. He has now fallen fast asleep. Francois Hugo