Seal makes itself at home at Port

A security booth at the Port of Tauranga becomes a bed for this knackered seal who spent the day resting inside, much to the amusement of passers by. Photo/Robin Connor

A seal which made itself at home at a Port of Tauranga security booth was in no rush to move on.

The seal spent most of Sunday napping in the port's security booth at Mount Maunganui, creating plenty of entertainment for passersby. The seal remained inside the entrance to the security booth for most of the day on Sunday before departing.

Robin Connor, who works at a customer service counter nearby, captured the seal's antics.

"The seal was just out the window. It had just come to shore and was looking for somewhere to rest."

Mr Connor said there was another occasion last week where a seal arrived and spend hours napping on a solar panel.

When the electric blanket just isn't handy. This tired seal takes advantage of the warmth from a solar panel at the Port of Tauranga. Photo/Robin Connor

"It's happened before. Last year a seal came up and spent the day on the bonnet of a car."

Previously in Tauranga police have been called to direct traffic around sleeping seals on the road and a seal even made its way on to the couch inside a Welcome Bay home.

Seals on shore are a regular sight for coastal New Zealand and the marine creatures are protected under New Zealand law.

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Karl McCarthy encouraged people to give seals plenty of room, at least 20m, so they could rest naturally.

"This is the time of year where we get a bit of an influx of seal numbers along the Bay of Plenty coast, particularly juvenile seals.

"A lot of them have come a long way, so they spend a lot of their days lounging around. That's pretty normal."

Mr McCarthy said many of the seals travel up from the South Island.

He said it was important people kept their dogs on leads and gave seals space to rest.

Other seals live in the Bay year round, being born and raised on offshore islands such as Motunau, Tuhua and Motuhora (Plate, Mayor and Whale Islands).

Seen a seal?

If someone spots a seal badly injured, caught in netting or being harassed, they are asked to call the DoC Hotline on 0800 362468.