Department of Conservation dog Flint is lucky to have been rescued after disappearing while on a remote subantarctic island.
The rodent detection dog was on Campbell Island, around 500km south of Invercargill, when he went missing.
He was spooked when a sea lion charged at a group of Department of Conversation staff heading back to their boat.
Thermal imaging from Defence Force helicopters were used alongside an extensive ground search to try and find the dog, to no avail.
As bad weather closed in, the team had to make the "heartbreaking" call to leave the island without the dog to keep everyone else safe.
"As far as we are concerned Flint is a team member and so we wanted to make sure we did everything we could to try and find him and bring him home," Department of Conservation deputy director general Mike Slater says.
Another helicopter was enlisted for the rescue mission the next day, coming from Otago.
When they arrived, Flint had crossed the island and was waiting for them at their base.
Because the dog was muzzled while working, he wouldn't have been able to eat after running away, adding urgency to the rescue, Mr Slater says.
"Conservation dogs play a vital role in our efforts to keep New Zealand islands pest free and we need as many of them as possible as we work towards a Predator Free 2050."
The dog is set to arrive back in New Zealand this evening, while handler Richard Johnston won't arrive for another few days.
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