'Celebrity' Vancouver Island seal to be rehomed away from humans

A persistent elephant seal will be relocated far from "human habitation"after it kept showing up in busy public spaces in the Greater Victoria area.

Emersonthe elephant sealis no stranger to the city and is known for ambling though grassy boulevards, destroying tulips, soaking up the sunand also occasionallycrossing a busyroad, according to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) official.

"Emerson is quite the celebrity both in the U.S. and Canada," Paul Cottrell, a DFOmarine mammal co-ordinator, told CHEK News.

Cottrell says the seal is two years old.

WATCH | Why does Emerson the elephant seal keep returning to land?

Why does Emerson the elephant seal keep returning to land?

5 months ago

Duration 2:16

Emerson the elephant seal, a local celebrity, returned to Saanich on Friday only to be taken away by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Our Climate and Science Specialist Darius Mahdavi shares why elephant seals haul out to land.

"Right from young age he has been used to people," he added. "We have relocated him three times [before]."

Emerson has beenrelocatedonly to revisitthe waters around Victoria, migratingbetween B.C.and Washington state.

The seal was spotted in Oak Bay last Mayand againin September along theSonghees Walkway.

This time around Emersonappeared in Saanich on April Fools' Day.

Resident Philip Brown says he spotted the mammalmakeits way out of the Gorge Waterwayinlet early that morning.

"He came up over the bank, brought himself up to a nice garden ... and perched himself [on the garden] and sunning himself," Brown said in an interview with CHEK News.

"The city should maybe fine him for destroying some of their flowers," he added.

In a statement to CBC News, DFO said Emersonis moultinga month-long process where a seal comes ashore to shed all of itsfur andunderlying layer of skin.

WATCH |Urban elephant seal back on land, after 3rd relocation attempt

Urban elephant seal back on land, after 3rd relocation attempt

5 months ago

Duration 1:12

An elephant seal named Emerson is moulting in Saanich, B.C., on Vancouver Island after being relocated away from cities three times.

"A moulting elephant seal can be an intimidating sight. Weighing up to 2,300 kg and as long as fivemetres, when this animal moults it may appear to be very sick and may develop elephant seal skin disease," the statement reads.

But, DFOsays, it's a natural process and should not be interfered with.

With locals scampering to take photos and crowding around Emerson, local authorities cordoned off the seal's resting spot and installed a sign asking onlookersnot to touch the animal as it could carry a bacterial disease like leptospirosis.

While local police didmanageto usher Emersonback into the water on Monday, he returned to Saanich again on Friday.

WithEmerson's tendency to put himself in high traffic areas, officials say they are herding him"farther from human habitation" so he cancomplete the moulting process in peace.

Fisheries officials said they managedto corral Emerson and load himonto a truck after "a long grueling" effort Friday.