Have you ever seen a seal with one flipper out of the water and thought it might be injured?
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Every day, Australians call a wildlife rescue hotline concerned that seals are injured or caught in something.
It is the most common call that ORRCA's 24/7 Rescue Hotline receives, especially during winter when there are many seals around.
"We have had calls previously where people have said that the seal looks like it's waving and calling for help," ORRCA president Ashley Ryan said.
"They think that maybe it's caught is the usual concern for people when they see that flipper up in the air."
The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) is a research and rescue volunteer organisation dedicated to the rescue and conservation of whales, dolphins, seals, and dugongs.
Why are seals waving at us?
The reason seals put their flipper in the air is to regulate their body temperature, a process called thermoregulation.
"They've got a large amount of vessels in those pec [pectoral or fore] flippers, which are the ones on the side, and they use that to either cool down or warm up," Ms Ryan said.
"And it's exactly like a human in bed when they feel too hot in bed, they might poke their leg out of the blanket. It's a similar principle."
Safety tips around seals
While sleepy seals may look cute, they can be a threat to humans.
"They can move very quickly on land...if they feel threatened, they will definitely come for you and they can lunge," Ms Ryan said.
If a seal yawns, baring its teeth, it is warning that it may bite, according to ORRCA's seal factsheet.
Children and pets should be kept well away from seals, and people should never touch or feed them.
The legal exclusion zone for seals is 40 metres when they're on land.
"It's not always possible, but you need to give seals as much space as possible," Ms Ryan said.
Ms Ryan said it's hard to assess a seal when they're in water, so they usually wait until they haul out on land.
"When they come onto land...that's when we're able to get a really good look at their body condition and if they have any injuries, and then we can go from there to see if they need any intervention or further monitoring," she said.
Seals often rest and recuperate on land, it is "normal seal behaviour", Ms Ryan said.
If you see an injured seal in NSW, report it to the ORRCA 24/7 hotline on (02) 9415 3333.
- In Tasmania, contact the Marine Mammal Hotline on 0427 WHALES (0427 942 537).
- In Queensland, contact the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Wildlife Hotline on 1300 130 372.
- In Victoria, contact the Marine Response Unit on 1300 245 678.
- In South Australia, contact the 24-hour Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 065 522 or AMWRRO on 08 8262 5452.
- In Western Australia contact the Wildcare Helpline on 08 9474 9055.
