Subantarctic visitor to Snells Beach 7 September 2021

At 8:40 a.m. I noticed a fur seal swim ashore at Snells Beach. I was later informed it was a sub-Antarctic fur seal based on colour and nose shape! There were two people there initially, one called DOC and other organisations, which resulted in an animal control warden arriving to help keep people a safe distance from our visitor.

Later people came from Forest and Bird and other organisations. Michele Mackenzie gathered cordon gear and arrived to continue protecting the young pup and to film him swimming off in the early evening. She took a lovely video of him leaving and posted it on her facebook page https://fb.watch/7TOLwkJwyn/

DOC has called for sightings of these seals, see https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-releases/2021-media-releases/doc-calls-for-sightings-of-our-subantarctic-neighbours/ for more information.

Below is a drawing of the seal which you can download and colour if you wish.

SealOnBeach.pdf

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