SeaLion’s Dilemma

OCTAVIA NASR,WORLD REPORT
Some environmental groups are criticizing Australia for its poor record on caring for endangered species. More mammals have become extinct in that country over the last 200 years than in any other place in the world. And new laws to protect threatened animals are not always enforced. Australia’s Network Ten reports on the case of some endangered sea lions off the country’s southern shores.

MELODY HORRILL, TEN News
Mercilessly pounded by the tempestuous southern ocean, Borden Islands surprisingly offers a haven for one of the rarest seals in the world. Discovered only 2 years ago, scientists now consider it one of the nation’s most important Australian sea lion breeding colonies.
But soon their isolation will come to an end. This stunning coastline overlooking their colony is being sold as a housing development and locals are outraged.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE
This is unbelievable. We don’t know how this could happen. This coast is owned should not be allowed to, the subdivision, they shouldn’t be allowed to house people in these places.

MELODY HORRILL
Bulldozers have already cut a road through the cliffs, flattened sand dunes and torn up vegetation to create housing blocks. Locals say the development would stress the sea lion colony and effect two others nearby.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE
It just shouldn’t be done. I mean, these animals will leave. We’re talking about a wilderness area.

MELODY HORRILL
Scientists agree. They say, it could im pact on the species which is still reeling from mass slaughter in the 1800s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE
Sea lion numbers have not recovered. And for that reason, we have some concern about the status of the Australian sea lions.

MELODY HORRILL
More than 20% of the nation’s sea lions can be found on tiny islands like this one, off south Australia’s west coast. But its not just housing developments putting these mammals at risk, commercial fishing is now becoming a major threat. The number of net entanglements has dramatically increased.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE
They get caught up in the gill nets. So we see Australian sea lions with the gill nets around their necks.

MELODY HORRILL
Locals want the state government to intervene. The government says, it's looking into it. Melody Harrold, TEN News.