Emerson the elephant seal has been whisked away by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for the second time this year, after he was causing traffic issues in Oak Bay.
On Friday, a DFO spokesperson confirmed with CHEK News that Emerson was “temporarily captured and relocated” on May 9 after he began making trouble for other ocean-goers.
“Emerson had positioned himself in the busy parking lot of the Victoria Yacht Club,” said the DFO.
“This decision to relocate him was made for the safety of both Emerson and the public.”
The two-year-old elephant seal has been taken to a remote location on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. There, the DFO expects he’ll be able to finish his annual moult without issue.
SEE ALSO: Emerson mid-moult: Crowds more respectful as elephant seal continues crowd-pleasing antics
Second road trip up Island
Thursday marked the second time that Emerson had to be taken out of Greater Victoria this year.
Last year, he lumbered into Greater Victoria for his annual moult, where he sheds his skin over a period of weeks, and turned heads in Oak Bay and the Gorge.
This year, he reappeared on April Fool’s Day in the Gorge, drawing a crowd and lapping up the attention.
However, just days later, he had to be relocated to Barkley Sound by DFO for wandering onto a nearby road.
Miraculously, Emerson swam back down to Greater Victoria in less than a week, finding himself back on a beach in the Gorge.
DFO had hoped to leave Emerson alone for the remainder of his moult, saying that moving him up Island and his journey back south may have exhausted him.
However, his antics near traffic on Thursday required DFO to move him again, according to the federal agency.
READ MORE:
- ‘Quite a celebrity’: Elephant seal ‘Emerson’ moulting in Saanich
- Emerson’s back but may be relocated again if harassment continues: DFO
With files from CHEK’s Laura Brougham
Adam Chan
