ST. CLAIR SEA LION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18988, 13 April 1936, Page 11

ST. CLAIR SEA LION

CAPTURE AT TOMAHAWK LAIR BENEATH HOUSE ENTICED INTO CRATE The St. Clair sou lion, Joey, which was conveyed in a special crate last tveek from liuneuin to Wellington, when lie was placed m tlie pool at tlio Newtown Zoo, was captured at Tomahawk, near Ditnedin, on A'uesday. It had been asleep under a house, tne occupier oi .vhicu had been severely bitten on tin arm the previous day in preventing tile .-ea lion from actually entering the house. Since its hist appearance at St. Clair, near Dunedin, in September of last year, thousands of people hud made a, more oi less intimate acquaintance with the sea lion during its stay there. It was at first an unobtrusive stranger, but apparently familiarity bred contempt, and it changed its nature and became obtrusive and something of a nuisance. The actual cause of the change may he a matter for conjecture. Condemned to death, it had a last-minute reprieve from the Minister of Marine, the lion. P. Fraser, and it was decided that it should he captured and placed in die wo at Wellington. A Drainage Hoard inspector and live assistants went to Tomahawk on Tuesday to make the capture, but before tin large crate in which it ws intended to imprison Ihe sea. lion could he placed in position against the exit from under the house Joey nwoke and waddled out.

However, a coat laid down by one of the men attracted his attention ntul lie commenced nibbing his head on it. The man pulled Ihe coal away, much lo Die annoyance of .Incv. who a I the tune was in a nastv mood.'The sea lion followed. The man'dangled She. coat m front, of him. Joey pursued and was inveigled risdif into the mouth of the crate, which was immediately, closed on him.