Taimana the leopard seal takes a tumble at the Tauranga Marina. Video / Nathan Pettigrew, Dolphin Seafaris NZ
Sometimes getting out of bed is tough - just ask Taimana.
The large female leopard seal was caught on camera falling off a berth during a relaxing moment at the Tauranga Marina in November.
Dolphin Seafaris NZ photographer Nathan Pettigrew this week uploaded the video to social media. He saidhe was at the marina and overheard on one of the worker's radios that a leopard seal was on a berth.
"The marina was closed off due to Covid so I walked around to the part that wasn't and set up my big lens and managed to get the video.
Taimana the leopard seal at the Tauranga Marina recently. Photo / Nathan Pettigrew
"I could see her rolling back and forth and I thought, 'come on come on she's going to go in'. I was trying to keep the camera still because I was laughing," he said.
Pettigrew said he worked closely with the Department of Conservation and a leopard seal hadn't been spotted in the area for about 12 months before that.
He said he managed to identify the seal as a female named Taimana who had been spotted in Auckland nine days prior.
• Stay at least 20m away • Don't disturb seals by making loud noises or throwing things • Keep dogs and children away • Don't feed the seals • Never attempt to touch a seal.
