Sam, Nelson’s baby seal, has disappeared

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 3

Sam, Nelson’s baby seal, has disappeared

PA' Nelson Sam, a seven-month-old baby seal that arrived at"’ Nelson’s Natureland Zoo on July. 10 with a severe gash oh his chest, has disappeared. With his mother, Sam sought refuge on a Nelson trawler, probably after a shark attack. The mother, apparently satisfied as to the safety of her young, left the trawler but Sam stayed. The; people of Nelson made *-a big effort to restore Sam -to good health.

Children went fishing for food, and hundreds of people called to. see him as he played in the zoo’s otter pond. On Tuesday, staff were pleased. The injury was healing and Sam was obviously happy and very friendly. But yesterday morning he was gone. The chairman of the Nelson City Council’s parks and recreation committee (Cr P. H. Malone) said that the taking of the seal infuriated him. “He has obviously been taken. He could not have

escaped on his own,” he said.

“If anyone has taken the seal thinking he was doing the right thing by returning it to the sea, he was totally wrong,” said Mr Malone.

“He is only seven months old and he will certainly die.” “If he has just been taken away to kill, those responsible are appallingly sick.” Sam was to have been flown to Marineland at Napier next week where he could be kept in a seawater pool until old enough to be released.