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
23 July 2019—4 September 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
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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 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: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 Amaya M. — iNaturalist (mesoplodon)
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.