DOC warns people to stay away from seal
People should give them their space
A leopard seal on a Southland beach was not an everyday sight, but was not uncommon at this time of year, the Department of Conservation says.
Yesterday morning, a 2m-long leopard seal was found within 1km of the main entrance to Oreti Beach, near Invercargill.
The animal appeared to be sick and emaciated, only lifting its head once to sniff the air and not reacting to the nearby car.
Leopard seals are the secondlargest seal found in Antarctic waters. They are known to be highly aggressive, and can attack people who come between them and the water.
Under the Marine Mammals Protection Act, it is illegal to harass, hurt or kill a seal. People may be prosecuted and pets put down if they attack a seal. The maximum penalty is two years imprisonment or a $250,000 fine.
DOC Southland spokeswoman Ros Cole
The Department of Conservation has received an increased number of fur seal callouts during winter compared to previous years.
They also reported more pup deaths at breeding colonies like Otago. DOC Southland spokes- woman Ros Cole said seeing leopard seals on southern beaches was not an everyday occurrence.
‘‘It’s not uncommon for leopard seals to park up on beaches this time of year, but it’s not every week.’’
She said DOC had not received any other reports of leopard seals on Southland beaches recently, but that the animals could swim up from Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic waters and stay for a bit before moving on.
She said it was recommended to stay at least 20m away from a leopard seal if a person came across one on the beach.
‘‘People should give them their space,’’ she said.
‘‘You don’t like it when people wake you up and get in your face.’’
Leopard seal fast facts
Scientific name: Hydrurga leptonyx Size: 2.4–3.5m long, 200-600kg weight
Habitat: Antarctic and SubAntarctic waters
Diet: Mainly fish, penguins and other seals