What Animal am I?

By Dr Rebecca Overeem, Phillip Island Nature Parks

Illustrations by Cara Richardson, Phillip Island Nature Parks

Graphic Design by Nino Soeradinata, Phillip Island Nature Parks

Photography by Darren Van Meurs

First published in 2013 by Phillip Island Nature Parks

© Text and graphics 2012. May be copied for educational purposes.

What animal am I? I can do flips and twirls with ease,

but I am not a possum.

I have brown, bristly fur that helps keep me warm,

but I am not a kangaroo.

I have little ears on the side of my head,

but I am not a mouse.

I move slow on land and fast in the ocean,

but I am not a turtle.

I have big eyes that help me see,

but I am not a quoll.

I am sleek, streamlined and waterproof,

but I am not a fish.

I can dive 200 metres down into the ocean,

but I am not a whale.

I have flippers that help me swim fast,

but I am not a penguin.

Can you figure out what I am?

I am an Australian fur seal.

All my features help me survive in the ocean.

But — my features do not protect me from the rubbish that humans dump in the ocean.

Rubbish like this can get caught around my neck and hurt me.

Researchers and rangers from Phillip Island Nature Parks help remove the rubbish from my neck. You can help, too!

Make sure your rubbish always goes into the bin so the ocean will be clean and free from things that can hurt me.

Little ones will be guessing until the end with this

beautifully illustrated ‘What Animal am I’ book

designed for early childhood learning.

Complemented by the ‘Australian Fur Seal Early

Childhood Teaching and Learning Resource’, it is

the perfect book for your budding biologist.

Please help make a difference – put rubbish in the bin.

This book and accompanying teaching and learning resource were

produced by Phillip Island Nature Parks through the generous financial

support of ExxonMobil Australia.

For more information go to:

www.sealeducation.org.au

www.penguins.org.au