WA: Sea lion may just have been playing with teenager: expert

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2007
WA: Sea lion may just have been playing with teenager: expert

Eds: Changes Ella's last name on updated information



By Andrea Hayward

PERTH, April 15 AAP - A sea lion that attacked a Perth teenager in a WA holiday town
on Friday may just have been playing, according to a marine scientist.

Ella Murphy lost three teeth and had her jaw broken in the attack while scurfing -
being towed on a surfboard behind a boat - near Lancelin, 125km north of Perth.

The 13-year-old is in a stable condition after surgery yesterday.

Sydney Aquarium marine scientist Grant Willis said he was not aware of any similar
incidents involving sea lions having occurred before.

"To be out in the water and be attacked like this is just bizarre," he said.

"Generally seals are more playful than anything.

"They are very territorial but to do that out in the water is very strange - I've never
heard of anything like this ever happening before."

Mr Willis said females generally weighed about 100kg and males weighed between 300kg and 400kg.

"They have the physical capability to hurt people but I've only ever heard of keepers
being harmed but that is usually because we are in their faces trying to do things to
them," he said.

"It might have been like a rag doll toy for the seal and it could have been ... play
for them, just wanting to shake it around.

"At 300 or 400kg though just a play bite or a wrestle would be pretty serious.

"I can't think of any situation that I have heard of like this ever."

A hospital spokesman said he could not release information on Ella's injuries, saying
her mother had signed a deal with Channel Nine's A Current Affair.

News Limited newspapers reported the girl's mother Michelle Forbes said Ella was millimetres
from death with the wound close to her carotid artery.

AAP ah/ks/mn

KEYWORD: SEALION LEAD

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