Māpua’s seal of approval

The visiting leopard seal in Māpua appears to have adopted the wharf area as its preferred spot to relax during its northern sojourn.

Department of Conservation’s biodiversity ranger, Dirk de Vries, says the community has also embraced the 2.5m hunter which has now returned to Māpua several times.

“The locals have basically adopted it – they’re quite protective of it. I’ve given them signs and tape which they put up to keep people back from it.”

Dirk says the seal is a female, which are typically larger than the males, and she appears to be in good health and putting on condition during her stay, suggesting she has a good food source.

A local resident told him there was a leopard seal at Durville Island earlier this year, so it could be the same one, spending several days feeding before taking time out in Māpua.

While the leopard seal has become a popular attraction when she hauls out at the wharf, Dirk says people need to give her plenty of space.

“They’re a wild animal. They can lunge their body length and they’re a big animal.”

He says, a woman was seen throwing stones at the leopard seal to provoke a reaction for a photo.

Efforts were made to identify the woman as it is illegal to harass marine animals and offenders can face penalties.

During Labour Weekend the leopard seal was resting on the pontoon attached to the wharf, but later moved to a floating pontoon further out in the channel, possibly to avoid the crowds, he says.