Excited tourists watch 'nature documentary' unfold as predator hunts off Aussie coast
'When the seals are eating they whack it around to make it a bit smaller, and the birds follow,' Melinda Fredericks from Lonsdale Eco Cruises told Yahoo News.
'We'll often get around a dozen of them. If you watch the bird activity, they're a good indication of when there are seals or even dolphins around.'
Related: Tourists stunned by 'lifetime moment' off the Aussie coast
The spectacle happens regularly around the Victorian holiday town of Lakes Entrance. Tourists lucky enough to see it close-up often describe it as being like 'a nature documentary in real life'.
'Tourists are amazed to see something in the wild like that, animals actually hunting and feeding,' she said.
A week ago, when the seal was smashing up its fish, she heard the familiar cries of 'My God, wow, and look at it,' she said.
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Out on the water several times a week, Melinda has been lucky enough to have seen the seal display before. The veteran guide has snapped images of seals attacking an unlikely array of prey, including puffer fish, eels and even an unfortunate octopus.
The seals are familiar with her boat, so they continue on as if no one is watching. But she doesn't like to stay more than 10 minutes, so as not to disturb the animals as they display natural behaviour.
'This time of year we get up to 100 seals, but it goes in cycles. Towards the end of May we'll get heaps of them and their pups. But when November comes, a lot of them will disappear and go offshore,' she said.
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Panarea White buildings on the coast of Panarea. RogerWith its whitewashed lanes and bougainvillea-draped terraces, Panarea is the definition of barefoot luxury. One of the easternmost Aeolian Islands, it's reachable only by ferry from Naples, Milazzo, Messina, or Reggio Calabria. Cars are banned, so visitors get around on foot or by golf cart; however, the island is arguably best explored by boat. Rent one from Sea Panarea to discover hidden coves, sea caves, and the nearby islets of Basiluzzo and Lisca before settling in for sunset Negronis at the see-and-be-seen Bar del Porto. Nights often end at Hotel Raya, famed for its rooftop cocktails and late-night soirées. Pantelleria Agricultural terraces on Pantelleria. Grey Zone/Adobe Stock Closer to Tunisia than mainland Italy, Pantelleria is a remote volcanic island dotted with traditional dammusi, thick-walled, domed stone dwellings built to keep out the heat. 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Yahoo
8 hours ago
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