Department of Conservation (DoC) staff are working to identify a group of youths who swam across the Whakatāne River and engaged in a "shocking display" of tormenting the town's resident elephant seal.
DoC ranger Andrew Glaser said the group taunted and tried to touch Momoa the elephant seal over a 30-minute period earlier this month.
"It was a shocking display and we are working with police to try and find these young people and looking at measures to see what we can do about it," Glaser said.
"We have also had one or two other incidents with people flying drones close to the seal, which is prohibited."
Meanwhile, Momoa has moved away from the spotlight but is still moulting, according to Glaser.