A harbour seal wrestling a large octopus in its mouth treated a handful of Victorians to a rare glimpse of wildlife survival skills in the city on Family Day.

Bob Ianson and his family were out for a stroll along the Ogden Point breakwater around 2 p.m. Monday when they spotted a seal with something in its mouth.

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“It was incredible. It looked like he was bringing it up to show it off,” said Ianson, a hobby nature photographer who started snapping as soon as he saw the seal.

Ianson said the octopus was wrapping its tentacles around the seal but appeared to have given up the fight.

The seal repeatedly brought the octopus to the surface as more passersby stopped to watch and take photos.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. I guess we were in the right place at the right time,” he said.

Harbour seals have been seen hunting octopus in the area in past years and most often target juveniles.

spetrescu@timescolonist.com