Where better for a seal pup to plonk down for a rest but a sunny stretch of sand at Papamoa East?
A number of juvenile fur seals were spotted enjoying the calm waters of Tauranga Harbour yesterday.
The freshly weaned pups were thought to have been born at a local rookery in recent months, and were likely sheltering from rough weather out at sea, Department of Conservation ranger Pete Huggins said.
"These animals are doing their natural thing by coming ashore to rest. Many people are surprised to see them here, but they are actually the new normal for the Bay of Plenty. They are breeding here, returning to the sort of population levels seen in New Zealand before the fur trade virtually wiped them out," he said.
The Department of Conservation recommends people give seals plenty of room - at least 20 metres - so they can rest naturally.