George 'good as gold' after seal attack

George Gillies was bitten by a seal in Mahia on Wednesday and required six stitches.

George Gillies thought he was running from a dog when a rogue seal chased him and bit his arm on Wednesday.

The 8-year-old Gisborne boy was bitten by the large seal at Mahia and required medical attention.

He had been on his way to fish at Snapper Rock on the eastern side of Mahia Peninsula.

Out of nowhere the seal suddenly lunged at him.

The seal, believed to be an adult fur or leopard seal, disappeared into the sea after the attack.

George's father Jared Gillies said his boy was "good as gold" following the attack.

"It was all over pretty quickly. He had two puncture wounds on his arm and needed six stitches."

Mr Gillies said George was taking it all in his stride and now has a cool scar to show off to his friends at school. "His mother is probably taking it worse than him."

He said George and his cousin heard barking and started running away from what they thought was a dog.

"When George slipped next thing he knew the seal was lying on top of him and biting.

"There was a dead pup up the road so whether it was the father being territorial I don't know."

Mr Gillies said the incident won't deter George from going to the beach, however, the next time he goes fishing he wants to "go in a boat".

Department of Conservation East Coast conservation services manager John Lucas said when wild animals are threatened they will go into flight or fight mode.

"This seal chose to fight," Mr Lucas said.

"At this time of the year seals tend to spend a lot of time around our shores in the sun, particularly after bad weather."

He said with more chance of interaction people need to treat seals like wild animals and not approach them.

"People need to be vigilant and aware that the seals can react," Mr Lucas said.