Bizarre Sea Lion Incident on Adelaide Motorway Causes Major Delays
In a startling incident on Adelaide’s North-South Motorway, a car collided with a sea lion early in the morning, leaving drivers puzzled and causing lengthy traffic delays. The strange event occurred just before 6am when the 200-kilogram marine mammal was mistaken for the asphalt due to the darkness.
Driver Hayley Steele described the encounter as "pretty scary." Initially believing she had hit a kangaroo, she only realised it was a seal about 20 minutes later. The environmental department speculates that the sea lion may have strayed from its colony at nearby Outer Harbor while seeking a resting spot. Ecologist Dr Karl Hillyard explained that these wild animals roam freely, suggesting that the sea lion simply took a wrong turn.
The collision resulted in considerable damage to the vehicle and led to traffic chaos, with delays exceeding an hour for many commuters. Sanjeet Atwal, one of the travellers caught in the jam, called the experience "horrendous." Another commuter, Dee McAlinden, described the situation as a "nightmare," noting the bumper-to-bumper traffic stretching up Port Wakefield Road and further.
Transport department contractors worked for over two hours to remove the sea lion from the road. Following the incident, the animal is undergoing tests for notifiable diseases and is being checked for identification tags to ascertain its origin.
The bizarre nature of the event has left an indelible mark on the day for many, serving as a reminder of the unpredictable encounters that can occur on the roads.