Seals

If you come across a seal, there are some rules you need to remember to ensure your safety and to minimise your impact on the seal.

• Do not approach within 30 metres of a seal on land, regardless of whether you are on land or in the water
• Do not approach within 5 metres of a seal on a boat ramp, pier, jetty or other infrastructure connected to land and designed for access to the water
• Do not approach on a vessel within 30 metres of a seal haul out site
• If you are swimming, do not approach within 5 metres of a haul out site (where the seal has come out of the water)
• It is illegal to touch or feed a seal

Seals and dogs don't mix. Seals can cause severe injuries to dogs if attacked, and dogs can transfer diseases to seals which can infect whole colonies.

To ensure everyone remains safe,

• If you are walking your dog on the beach, you must keep it at least 50 metres away from a seal
• Dogs must not enter the water within 50 metres of a seal

Seals will often lie on beaches on the Mornington Peninsula for a rest or to moult. This is normal behaviour and does not need human intervention. 

Sometimes seals may look injured when they are actually not. For example, seals secrete a watery substance from their eyes which is often mistaken for crying or an injury, but it is a natural mechanism to protect their eyes. Seals also regularly sustain bites or scratches by other seals. These wounds heal will quickly without assistance. For further information on seal behaviours that do not need human intervention, see Wildlife Victoria's Encountering Seals page.

If you see a seal and think it needs help, contact the Marine Response Unit on 1300 245 678 as soon as possible. They will need to know:

• the species
• the approximate age (pup, juvenile or adult)
• the body condition (poor or healthy)
• the extent and location of injuries on animal
• any movement (or lack of movement)
• the nature of any entanglement (type of material and location on the animal)
• the seal's location.

The following signs and behaviours indicate a seal may be in distress.

Found in a dangerous location

Seals sometimes come ashore at places that are not safe. If you find a seal on a road, a busy beach or unusual location where its safety may be at risk, report it immediately.

Poor body condition

Seals may suffer from poor health or body condition due to sickness, old age, dehydration or lack of food. If you see an animal that appears to be in poor condition (for example, ribs or hip bones showing), report it immediately.

Eye injuries and infections

Eye injuries and infections can affect a seal's ability to hunt. If the eye injury looks like it is healing, the animal will likely be okay. If the eye is cloudy or is heavily secreting mucous, report it immediately.

Entangled in netting

Seals occasionally become entangled in netting or other foreign objects. An entangled seal needs help as soon as possible to remove the foreign material, so report it immediately.

For further information on helping injured seals, see Wildlife Victoria's Seal Reference Guide.

Fish, seabirds and marine mammals can become tangled in or ingest plastic debris. Plastics can take hundreds of years to fully decompose but some break down much quicker into tiny particles, which in turn end up in the seafood we eat.

Wildlife can be seriously harmed or killed by balloons and their attachments. Deflated balloons floating in the water can look like squid or jellyfish and are often mistaken for food by marine mammals, sea birds and turtles. Animals may ingest the deflated balloon or become entangled in the attached ribbons which can cause permanent injuries or death.

From 1 July 2021, releasing balloons is illegal in Victoria to help prevent harm to the environment from pollution and waste. This includes releasing balloons into the environment.

To report balloon littering, visit the EPA Victoria's balloon page or for further information on ballons and the impact on seabirds, see Zoos Victoria's balloons page.