'It's not the first time': New Zealand's resident leopard seal Owha threatened

Owha lies in the sun on the pontoon at Bayswater Marina, Auckland, in 2017. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A threat has been made against New Zealand's resident leopard seal Owha after she allegedly popped an inflatable dinghy, causing it to sink.

The threat, by a Herald Island, Auckland, resident who owned the dinghy has been passed on to LeopardSeals.org this morning.

"Threats of this nature need to be taken seriously, as this is not the first time Owha has come under attack," Dr Krista Hupman said.

It was normal behaviour for leopard seals to pop a dinghy and to play with other objects like fenders, Hupman, co-founder of LeopardSeals.org, said.

In 2019, it was thought Owha was shot in the face with a projectile fired from a rifle. The injury has since healed.

It was the responsibility of the boat owner to ensure their vessels and fenders were pulled out of the water to prevent any damage, Hupman said.

"This is crucial when high rainfall occurs because dinghies will often have more water in them, making them vulnerable to sinking."

Herald Island Boating Committee member Eddie Grassick agreed. Anyone who heard of threats towards Owha or any other leopard seals was asked to report it by calling either 0800 LEOPARD or 0800 DOCHOT.

In 2018, another leopard seal was shot in the face with a .22 projectile and a shotgun round. It died.

Leopard seals are a native species within New Zealand and were protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978.

It is an offence to harm, harass, disturb, injure or kill a seal. Anyone charged under the Act faced a maximum penalty of two years' in jail or a fine of $250,000.