Editorial: Enjoy the wilderness from afar

The story of a group of four fur seals who decided to pay a visit to the Napier Inner Harbour is bound to attract the attention of animal lovers.

We all love it when we come into contact with animals.

It is always a thrill to witness dolphins or whales up close. It makes you feel special, like you are part of a much larger world than usual. But the thing with seals, and many other wild animals, is that from afar they look so cute, but in reality they are dangerous - that is why they are called wild animals.

Department of Conservation area compliance officer Tom Barr, who went to investigate after getting a call from the public, even went as far as to call them the "rottweilers of the sea".

"They look lovely, but they are wild animals and will have a go at you ... they are not nice things ... worse than a rabid pitbull," he said, warning people to stay away from them. Unfortunately, one of the seals did not survive the storms at sea and died shortly after getting ashore.

However, Mr Barr's advice is sound. We are all nature lovers these days but we get so caught up in our romantic notions of wildlife that sometimes we forget that nature can bite.

Whenever I hear stories of zoo keepers and circus animal trainers being mauled or killed by their charges, I always think the mistake is that humans think they can take the wildness out of wild animals.

I once rode on the back of an elephant. It was about fifteen years ago in Zimbabwe and this company offered tourist rides on these very big African elephants. As I sat on the elephant's back, I kept on thinking that I was at his mercy. If he had got irritated with me, I would have been finished.

Thankfully I survived, but I am not sure if I would repeat the experience.

People who go close to animals in the wild are just asking for trouble. Nature is there to be enjoyed, not engaged.

So, keep a safe distance and enjoy the beauty of the wild.