Slow down, new seal: A Hawke's Bay town's bid to protect the pup that keeps coming back

The new sign erected in Te Awanga warning motorists about the seal. Photo / Paul Taylor

A Te Awanga family that keeps finding a seal pup on their rubber doormat are warning those who use the busy road outside their house to slow down - just in case.

Bronwyn Trafford, who erected the warning sign, said the juvenile seal that made headlines last week for his antics usually ventures out at night to have a feed and play around in the lagoon at Te Awanga, and the road it crosses to get there, Wellwood Terrace, is a "hive of activity".

"For the last six days, since he's been at our house, he seems to go fishing in the lagoon about 6pm to 7pm every night and comes back in the early hours of the morning."

"We know when he leaves, so we keep a close eye on him ... but between bikes, and kids, and cars, it's quite a hive of activity."

Three-year-old Meila Trafford checks out the baby seal which has taken up residence on the doorstep of the family's home in Te Awanga. Photo / Paul Taylor

Trafford said it would be a challenge for motorists to see the seal, especially at night, which was why a slow speed was essential.

"The last thing we want is for the seal to be hit."

She said they'd had many visitors but people had been good around the seal and dogs in the area had been kept on leads.

Hastings District councillor and Eco District Subcommittee chairwoman Ann Redstone said the number of kekeno/seals visiting Clive had increased in the last few years.

"Kekeno have been coming to east Clive because of the rock revetment wall, but it's unusual to see a juvenile come alone," Redstone said.

"The best thing to do with it is to leave it alone, and not feed it."

DoC marine science adviser Lauren Boren said the presence of the young seal in Te Awanga was not such a surprise as numbers were on the rise in the region.

Boren estimated the kekeno visiting the Trafford family could be a yearling, possibly ranging from nine to 21 months old, and confirmed the baby seal would have weaned before swimming off on its own.

"I would usually say that they will move off on their own when the time is right. It sounds like this one has been hanging around in the area for an extended time."

Boren said the family should continue as they are - providing the kekeno with ample space, not feeding it, and keeping dogs away.

Subantartic seal pup washed up dead on CHB beach

DoC is also asking people to be on the lookout for Subantarctic fur seals, "cousins" of the kekeno/New Zealand fur seal.

In July 2021, a dead pup washed up at Kairakau Beach, Hawke's Bay.

The pup had been tagged on Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean in September 2020, meaning it swam well over 8000km to arrive here.

At about 1-1/2 years old, it is probable that it died of starvation.

"It's tough for a young seal to make such a long journey. Many don't end up surviving because they have usually used all their energy getting here. The luckier ones find plenty of food along the way and will turn up in good condition."

While it's sad to find a dead pup, reporting the sighting was still useful, Boren said.

"This has allowed us to contribute valuable information to the French Subantarctic Programme, which manages Amsterdam Island."

The kekeno and Subantarctic seals appear similar but have some obvious differences which make identification easy.

"The key signs to look for are a blunter/shorter nose and creamy-coloured fur on the throat and underside," Boren said.

"NZ fur seals will appear grey or brown and much more uniform in colour, while the Subantarctic variety have very two-tone colouration with the distinctive pale cream underneath."

She said the best way to confirm it was one was to take a picture from different angles.