The seal was spotted in the Gordon Carmichael Reserve over the Matariki weekend.
The “silly season” has begun - with a seal spotted relaxing in a park about 1km from Tauranga Harbour.
The sealspotted in Bethlehem’s Gordon Carmichael Reserve was one of two seals seen in unusual places in the past week.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) calls the months from June to September “seal silly season,” as it is the time of year when juvenile seals begin venturing further afield from their mothers.
The juvenile seal at Gordon Carmichael Reserve yesterday was lying sleepily on a grass bank and caused a stir on the Bethlehem Community Noticeboard on Facebook.
It most likely travelled through the waterways that connected the reserve to the open waters.
The reserve is known for its native plants, birds and wetlands. Lynn Forde, who posted about the seal on social media, said she and her husband saw the seal between 1.30pm and 2pm, after a passerby told them it was there.
The seal, located beside the large pond , was resting with “one eye open”.
“Everyone there at that time was being very respectful and keeping their distance,” Forde said.
One commenter said, “in all my years walking there I’ve never seen this.”.
Another seal was spotted across the Wairoa River.
Lin Olphert was walking her dog off Station Rd in Te Puna last Wednesday when she saw a seal on some rocks.
“It was very sleepy and well camouflaged on the rocks so it didn’t draw my dog’s attention,” said Olphert.
“Funny we managed to walk so close to it and with her wonderful sense of smell she missed it - it merely lifted its head and checked us out and went back to sleep.”
DoC marine science adviser Dr Jody Weir advised the public to keep an eye out for seals in some curious places in the coming months as young seals’ natural curiosity sometimes led them astray.
“Young seals, still dependent on their mother’s milk, tend to venture further afield during this period. It’s common to find them on roads, in backyards, or even on living room sofas,” Weir said.
This year has been particularly challenging for New Zealand’s fur seals, with more than 1000 deaths due to starvation along the Kaikōura coast, Weir said.
“Although we can’t solve the broader issues of climate change and food scarcity overnight, we can all contribute to keeping these fascinating animals safe.”
DoC biodiversity ranger Sarah-Lyn Wilson said they were not contacted about any Tauranga seals but had received “a few calls” over the past couple of weeks.
“We anticipate seal sightings will increase over the coming months, so it’s a good time for us to remind people to give seals space and please call 0800 DOC HOT if you see a seal in immediate danger.”
Watch out for seals on roads.
Keep dogs at a safe distance.
Educate others on how to behave around wildlife.
Harriet Laughton is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty.
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