New season which starts on April 16 for the PAL. After two years of covid, the zoological park of the Allier reopens its doors on the scheduled date. This year there is a novelty offered to visitors: an encounter with harbor seals. France Bleu Pays d’Auvergne invites you to discover the activity in pictures!
– Justine Leblond
Before going into the water, several steps: put on a wetsuit, then be briefed by Anne-Sophie Simonet, the seals manager at the PAL, on the edge of the beach created at the edge of the basin. “The goal of the game is to discover the world of the harbor seal, an animal that can be encountered in French natural areas, especially towards the Normandy coast”, explains Anne-Sophie. The objective of the activity is to raise awareness of the world of the seal, because the money spent for the activity is entirely returned to an association for the protection of marine animals.
– Justine Leblond
There are five seals in the basin : Omer, the 15-year-old dad, accompanied by two females Cathy and Julie, and two little ones including Amy, a 1-year-old. They benefited from a specific training for two yearsto get used to the presence of humans next to them in the water.
After theory, place to practice
You must first sit on the pontoon to familiarize the seals with our presence, putting your feet in the water. “A seal is not supposed to bite. He will only bite if he is really scared or if he feels attacked”, Anne-Sophie reassures us. No danger either for the seals with our presence in the pool, provided you don’t put on make-up or sunscreen.
– Justine Leblond
Once in the water, we put on a mask to observe “a closer look at the jaws of animals, their fins and the way they move”.
– Justine Leblond
The activity is offered from May to the end of June, then from September, so as not to disturb the seals all summer long.