Waikato Police say a motorist on his way back to the Bay of Plenty has definitely earned their seal of approval following the successful rescue of a large marine mammal from the side of a busy highway.
Senior Sergeant Rupert Friend of the Waikato District Command Centre said the man was in his utility on SH29 near Hinuera on his way home yesterday when he was flagged down by a couple heading the opposite way, towards Cambridge.
“He told our officer the other people had nearly hit a seal that was on the road. He was a bit dubious considering just how far Hinuera is from the ocean but sure enough there the mammal was, lying in the grass with river weed all over it by the side of the road.
“The man put his hazard lights on, called Police and then watched as the seal made its way into a paddock but the group’s problems weren’t over yet.”
Mr Friend said when Police arrived and made contact with the Department of Conservation it was realised that with it likely to take over an hour for a ranger to arrive from Tauranga it would be quicker for the member of the public to transport it over the Kaimai Range and meet DOC there.
“That was easier said than done. While that was being arranged the seal, who by that time had become a bit agitated, had moved into a paddock containing horses so it needed to be contained before it or the horses were injured.
“In the end, with the ranger relaying instructions over the phone, a blanket was put over the seal which allowed it to be lifted by three people onto the back of the man’s ute. He then drove over the mountains where he met the ranger near Tauranga and the transfer was completed, allowing the return of the seal to the ocean.”
Mr Friend said the officer involved was impressed by the member of the public’s concern and willingness to go the extra mile.
“He spoke to one of our staff this morning about the incident and was emphasising his concern was for the seal’s welfare and also that other motorists didn’t encounter it on the road and then crash. Just like the seal, this man really went the extra mile.”
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