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
26 November 2009—26 January 2026
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4 of 31 reports
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Explore by area
All areasMarkers 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
No map reference yet. You can still explore these reports.
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 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: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 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: 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.