New Zealand · 2009—2026
New Zealand fur seal / kekeno
Seals around New Zealand.
Follow public seal observations from New Zealand. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.
- Total reports
- 31
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
27 August 2009—8 September 2026
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31 reports
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Explore by area
Markers represent broad named areas, never exact observation locations. Select an area to filter the archive.
27 of 31 reports mapped · 17 areas
- Aramoana Recreation Reserve1 report
- Bay of Plenty1 report
- Cape Saunders1 report
- Dunedin1 report
- Dunedin City1 report
- Fitzroy Beach area1 report
- Fortrose1 report
- Gisborne1 report
- Kaikōura3 reports
- Kaikōura Peninsula2 reports
- Manawatū-Whanganui1 report
- Marlborough District1 report
- Otago4 reports
- Southland District1 report
- Taranaki1 report
- Tasman2 reports
- Wellington4 reports
Other reported areas
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Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Rangitīkei District Council; Greg Carlyon — 8 September 2026
Observation: The council reported a New Zealand fur seal pup paddling in puddles on the college hockey turf. Animal Control returned it to the sea via Scotts Ferry with DOC guidance. Its route inland was unknown.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Department of Conservation — 7 September 2026
Observation: A female leopard seal, approximately three metres long, rested at Petone Beach over the weekend. DOC said it was first reported on Friday night and returned to the sea early Monday.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Department of Conservation — 6 August 2026
Observation: DOC reported a juvenile male leopard seal, about 1.7 metres long, resting in the centre lane of the Sulphur Point boat ramp. It returned to the sea after several days.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified See-u-Later — Peter, travel diary published 23 April 2026
Observation: A first-hand travel diary records a coastal seal colony north of Kaikōura, with pups swimming in a natural pool and nursing. The author did not name the site or give a count.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified 1News — 11 March 2026
Observation: Video showed a New Zealand fur seal at the peninsula colony as a visitor threw seaweed at it. DOC said it was investigating the reported disturbance.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified RNZ, republished by Evening Report — 5 February 2026
Observation: A seal pup was photographed outside Chaos Cafe in central New Plymouth. Police guided it back towards the Huatoki Stream and foreshore.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Wildlife Travel — Michael Blencowe, January 2026 trip report
Observation: New Zealand fur seals were observed on the shore during a wildlife cruise along the Otago Peninsula. No count was given.
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Date: 2026Reported: Unidentified Wildlife Travel — Michael Blencowe, January 2026 trip report
Observation: A visiting wildlife group observed a colony of New Zealand fur seals resting on rocks and swimming at Ōhau Point. No count was given.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Chris — iNaturalist (chrihi)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Damon Bender — iNaturalist (hozo)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified matthieu gil — iNaturalist (matthieu53357)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified afisch80 — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Oscar Grant — iNaturalist (oaag1993)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Dolordebarriga — iNaturalist (dolordebarriga)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Krohl — iNaturalist (krohling)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Adam Duchac — iNaturalist (adamduchac)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Annett Boerner — iNaturalist (annettboerner)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Samuel Amaris — iNaturalist (samuelamaris)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Simon Nicholas — iNaturalist (simonnicholas)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified slama077 — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Andy Wech — iNaturalist (andy_wech)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified John Barkla — iNaturalist (john_barkla)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Amaya M. — iNaturalist (mesoplodon)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Jane Gosden — iNaturalist (janegosden)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). The observer described the seal raising its head as vehicles passed. This record covers the dated encounter, not unverified earlier visits mentioned in the caption.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified lesleyunit — iNaturalist
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Amy van Veen — iNaturalist (amyv971)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified RNZ — Dom Thomas
Observation: A large leopard seal hauled out on the concrete outside the boathouses at Oriental Parade.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified RNZ; Department of Conservation
Observation: A leopard seal was reported lying at the southern end of Wainui Beach.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Otago Daily Times; LeopardSeals.org
Observation: LeopardSeals.org reported a roughly two-metre female leopard seal at All Day Bay, later also seen at Waikouaiti on the same Thursday.
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Date:Reported: Autahi (HLNZ-P068) Frontiers in Marine Science; LeopardSeals.org; Otago Museum/Department of Conservation
Observation: Adult female leopard seal Autahi was last sighted alive at Waikouaiti Beach.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified New Zealand Department of Conservation Conservation blog comment by Pauline Samways
Observation: A commenter reported seeing a leopard seal at Motueka Sandspit on Thursday 27 August 2009, during the same week as the DOC report of leopard seals in Tasman Bay.