A seal at Whanganui's fishing platforms is the thinnest resident Lynne Douglas has ever seen.
It's not young, the Castlecliff woman said, just emaciated.
"It's of a concern, not only to the creature itself, but to the situation that may develop if people continue to feed it."
To her knowledge, the animal has been around for at least five days. It looks hungry and appealing and she has seen people feed it fish.
She worries people or dogs may harm it, or that it may harm a dog or a child who tries to pat it. Seals can move surprisingly fast, she said, and their bites can do a serious injury and spread infectious diseases.