Napier had a rare visitor today in the form of a Weddell seal.
The juvenile mammal is only the seventh ever recorded visiting New Zealand shores.
It was spotted resting on one of the city's beaches and was confirmed to be a Weddell seal by Department of Conservation (DOC) marine technical staff.
Ranger Rod Hansen says it's the second reported sighting in Napier.
"The first visit we received was back in 2007 – so it is truly a rare sighting indeed," Mr Hansen says.
The Weddell seal – named by James Weddell, who was a British sailor and seal hunter - is the most southern living
mammal to permanently inhabit the Antarctic continent according to DOC.
They grow up to three metres long and can weigh in at 500 kilograms. Throughout their lives the seals remain close to their breeding colonies – usually travelling no further than 100km from those colonies.
However, there have been reports of migrations up to several hundred kilometres – especially by younger seals with sightings reported here and in Australia.
DOC says people should stay at least 20 metres away from the Weddell seal and should not disturb it by making loud noises or throwing things.
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