Volunteer discovers two dead baby seals on shore between Flume and Granny’s Grave beach

A woman has discovered two dead baby seals washed up on shore of a Warrnambool beach while collecting rubbish. WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES

Two dead baby seals have been found washed up on-shore metres apart from each other on a Warrnambool beach, with one seal having an umbilical cord still attached to its body.

The seals were discovered between Flume and Granny’s Grave beach on Thursday by a woman who was cleaning up as a volunteer.

Maddy Bagg posted the photos of the dead seals to the Beach Patrol 3280 Facebook page.

WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES

“Cleaning up between the flume and grannys. Not too much rubbish, but a lot of blue bottles, and two dead baby seals within metres of each other,” she said in the Facebook post.

One of the seals appeared to have a section of fur ripped off, leaving the skin exposed.

Spokespeople from the Development of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the Marine Response Unit (MRU) suggested that a possible cause for the death of the seals could be due to the time of year when pregnant females are actively pupping.

Baby seals may be washed from a nearby breeding colony (such as Lady Julia Percy Island).

Seal pups are weaned at around 4-6 months old but still can remain with the mother until 12 months old. Australian Fur Seal pups suffer a high mortality rate in the first few months after birth.

The DELWP and MRU spokespeople also said young seal pups don’t swim much for their first 3 months so if they are washed from the rocks they are often unable to return, dying as a result.

Anyone who comes across injured or deceased wildlife should contact the Melbourne Zoo’s AGL Marine Response Unit on 1300 245 678.