Oscar chills on the green carpet
A young but still sizeable elephant seal has parked himself beside Whakatane River for the past few days, and on nearby walkways and the beach.
Dubbed Oscar by locals, the protected marine mammal was photographed yesterday alongside this 1998 Toyota Harrier. The 2 tonne juvenile is over 2m long and can stretch as high as 1.7m.
Department of Conservation ranger Mithuna Sothieson cautioned people to stay at least 25m away and prevent dogs getting near him.
“People need to respect him and give him his space.
“Elephant seals are a protected marine animal and can pose a risk to life.
His age was estimated by the length of his snout, which was not fully developed, Sothieson said.
The fine weather Oscar is enjoying is expected to last for a few days in the North Island.
The South Island can expect showers.
Auckland is likely to be mostly sunny and warm with temperatures in the mid-20s through to New Year’s Day.
“There’s a risk of an afternoon shower but those are far and few between and it will be quite a nice lead up to New Years,” said MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes.
“You’d want to bet on nicer conditions, any chance of a shower is small.
“In the city most people won’t see them, and [they’re] unlikely on New Year’s Eve itself.
“The fine message is certainly the dominant one we’d like to portray.”
East Coast holiday spots should also be fine, with most cloud cover trapped in the west by the ranges.
Crowds at Gisborne’s Rhythm & Vines should enjoy high 20s for each day of three-day festival, which begins this afternoon. There is a slight chance of a shower this afternoon.
“Gisborne’s looking at some very nice temperatures, very fine, with the chance of some gusty northwest winds, but nothing too major,” McInnes said.
The Bay of Islands is set to be sunny in the mid-to-high 20s with only a slight chance of afternoon showers.
The Coromandel has a “slightly higher risk” of showers in the next few days, but by New Year’s Eve it should be fine in the mid-20s.
Taupo is likely to be more overcast than the North Island’s east coast, with temperatures in the low 20s and possible showers on January 1.
Wellington will have “quite nice weather” in the low 20s, with its characteristic winds “set to die off as we go into New Year’s”.
The South Island forecast is not so cheery, with “winds screaming around the central high country”.
Queenstown should expect rain in the coming days, yet temperatures in the mid-20s.
“Down south it’s a little bit of a different story,” McInnes said.
“Queenstown unfortunately we’re looking at cloudier weather, and a few showers on New Year’s Eve, and into New Year’s Day.
“It’s one of those greyer, less favourable days.”
Christchurch is looking more optimistic because it’s further east, with the odd light shower and temperatures in the high 20s, except New Year’s Eve which is set for 23C.