A seal was previously spotted swimming in a creek near a popular Hastings dog park. Video /Tim Anderson
More than 16 kilometres away from the ocean, a young seal is making a splash and surprising people at Karamu Stream.
A Hastings man, who wished to be named only as Joseph, was working when he came across the unexpected - a seal lazing on the riverbank.
Joseph said he was looking around the stream and was about 6m away before he saw it. He got a bit of a fright as the animal rolled over, surprising Joseph.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting to see a seal as I walked along the stream, given how far from the sea it was,” he said.
Local DoC rangers have no concerns over the young seal by Karamu Stream, as seals are known spend time in the waterway on occasion.
He said it must have had a decent upstream swim, but the seal/kekeno pup looked pretty happy just rolling around and relaxing. He said it didn’t seem too fazed by his presence either.
Joseph joked that if someone told him they “had seen a seal down there I’d probably laugh”, but he knew the story and photos of the seal would be a big hit with his wife and kids.
The local resident did report his sighting on the DoC website as well as posting a few pictures on Facebook.
The Facebook post has received a bit of attention and a few comments, with some people thinking this could be Sammy, a seal that frequently visits Hawke’s Bay around this time of the year.
DoC rangers went out to check on the seal and said it is very unlikely to be Sammy as it looks like quite young,whereas is Sammy is older.
The rangers who checked on the animal said he looked fine and they don’t have any specific concerns as adventurous seals do show up in this stream from time to time.
The young seal has been making a splash 16km away from the ocean as it hangs out along Karamu Stream.
Between May and September, young kekeno and male seals of any age can be spotted as they leave their breeding colonies, explore and rest. This includes newly weaned pups finding their way in the world.
Marine science adviser Laura Boren said fur seal populations are recovering quickly and this means people need to be prepared to encounter seals anywhere around our coastline, even in areas where they haven’t seen them before, particularly in winter.
While seals are marine mammals, they spend much of their time on land resting and basking in the sun. They are most often found on rocky shores, although they are curious and exploratory by nature and are frequently spotted inland.
In 2021, a seal spent several days in Hobbiton, near the Waikato town of Matamata, more than 90km from the nearest coastline.
Visits by seals are not uncommon in Hawke’s Bay - a number of the curious creatures have turned up in the region over the years.
When people see or know there is a seal in the area, DoC asks that they keep under control any dogs they may have, as the department’s hotline staff frequently receive calls about dogs harassing and attacking seals.
People are reminded to follow some simple guidelines when out walking their dogs:
Scan for wildlife – a sleeping seal can look a lot like driftwood
Keep a toy on hand to use as a distraction
Warn other beach users if you spot wildlife
Keep a lead on you at all times (this is also a legal requirement)
Check DoC and council websites for seasonal and area dog restrictions
Become a wildlife-wise dog owner through the Lead the Way programme
Kekeno are exploratory by nature and exhibit some strange behaviours when hauled up on land. People may feel concerned seeing young pups alone, or seals regurgitating, sneezing, coughing or crying.
“This is all part of their normal behaviour, and they are very resilient animals. You can watch and enjoy them from a distance, and let them be,” Boren said.
Call the DoC hotline only if they are in immediate danger, such as if they are relaxing on a road, severely injured or tangled in debris.
DoC takes a hands-off approach with seals and will only intervenes if an animal is in danger, or is in high-traffic urban areas.
If you see a seal that is severely injured, being harassed or in obvious danger call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).
