National Parks and Wildlife are blaming a “freak accident” after a sea lion was hit and killed on an Adelaide road.

According to statement from the department:

An Australian sea lion has died after being struck by a vehicle on the North South Motorway, near the Port River Expressway at Dry Creek.

A small population of Australian sea lions are often seen at the breakwater walls at Outer Harbor.

It is incredibly rare for the sea lions to swim into the Barker Inlet, let alone venture this far inland.

National Parks and Wildlife Service received a report on Sunday 6 April that a sea lion had been seen in mangroves and near a bridge below the North South Motorway.

An inspection of the male animal found it appeared to be in good health, was not near the edge of the road and was in no immediate danger.

Male Australian sea lions are large, powerful, and at times aggressive animals that can weigh up to 300kg.

Attempting to move a sea lion of this size would have created a high level of risk for the animal and staff. In most cases, animals return to their usual habitat on their own. Unfortunately, that was not the case in this incident, which appears to be a freak accident.