Some Suspect Seal To Blame, Not Shark

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday January 15, 2009

By EMMA SHAW

THEY'RE best known for their playful antics and cute faces, so could a seal really have been responsible for the suspected shark attack in Lake Illawarra?

Holidaymakers at the lake seem to think so after spotting one of the creatures in the water on Tuesday night.

David Gray and his family caught sight of the seal close to the northern bank of Lake Illawarra, east of Windang Bridge, where Steven Fogarty was mauled by a mystery marine animal on Monday.

Mr Gray, of Campbelltown, was in his holiday rental in Fern St, Windang, with six members of his family when he caught sight of the seal.

"We were just sitting out on the verandah and about 35m away from us there was a great big splash, then another one a couple of metres away," he said.

Mr Gray and his family then walked down to the boat ramp for further investigations.

"All the people (on the boat ramp) could see it too. There were 20-25 of us all together.

"It was making noises and we could hear it breaking the water. There were definitely seal cries and we could see it as well. We could see that it was definitely a seal."

Mr Gray believes the seal may well have been responsible for the supposed shark attack on Mr Fogarty.

"When (Mr Fogarty) was bitten it was high tide and the water goes through pretty quickly. The seal could have been disorientated - it could have been thrashing around."

However, Mr Fogarty dismissed the idea he was attacked by a seal.

"I do a fair bit of fishing in the ocean and I've seen a few seals," he said.

"If a seal had bit me (the wound) would have been smaller and twice as deep. The doctors and the police who saw my leg all said it was a shark."

Oceanworld life sciences manager Rob Townsend said it was unusual for seals to be aggressive and doubted a seal caused Mr Fogarty's injuries.

"It is possible but highly unlikely unless the animal was provoked or felt that it was being cornered.

"They can become quite territorial ... but one look at the bite wound would tell you."