A farmer left shocked after spotting a baby seal in a wheat crop kilometres away from ocean

'A seal on a driveway'

According to The Guardian, Australian wheat farmer Ty Kayden’s Thursday started with a phone call and the most incredible news. The neighbour asked him to come down immediately as there was a seal on the farmer’s driveway. Thinking it was a joke, Kayden rushed to the field. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw an actual seal pup in a large wheat crop.

Kayden said:

My neighbour called me up, he said ‘you have to come and have a look at this'. I thought he said a baby cow was in my driveway. He goes, 'no, it’s a baby seal'. I was like 'you’re kidding, we better come for a look'. We pulled up, and there was this tiny little three-foot seal, sitting right on the edge of the wheat crop.

Kayden’s family have been farming in the area for more than 60 years and have never seen a seal come this far inland. The animalwas found 3 kilometres from the sea, and it is unclear how this water-loving creature could walk for so long and survive.

Kayden continues:

Three kilometres is a long way from the ocean – it’s a small two-wheel track to the beach. I have no idea how it got there or what it had been doing.

The farmer said the tiny traveller looked 'skinny' and 'was lost for a while' but lucky it was not attacked by the foxes.

'Back where he belongs'

There was no animal welfare organisation nearby, and Kayden knew he had to be quick to save his unusual guest's life. So rather than leave him in the middle of the crop, he decided to take the pup back to the nearest beach.

Kayden explains:

We got a towel and just dropped it over its head and scooped it up and put it in a tub in the back of the ute. We have nothing like the RSPCA around us. The only thing we could do was take him back to the beach and get him moving.

It was a high tide at the beach, and the farmer released the adorable creature. The seal hesitated to go at first, but, with some encouragement, he took off in the shallow water. The animal looked happy to be back in its natural habitat.

Kayden said:

Lucky it was high tide, it shuffled off into the water. Hopefully, it's found some fish. Hopefully, it survives.

According to the President of Marine Life Society of South Australia Steve Reynolds, the curious pup was likely a Longnose New Zealand fur seal, which can walk on its flippers. South Australian waters are home to Australian sea lions, long-nosed fur seals and Australian fur seals but get other species that are visiting the coast.

Contact your local vet or an animal welfare organisation if you ever spot a sick, injured or lost animal. They should be able to advise on the best plan of action.

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