Young seals struggling with Bay's rough swells

Westshore beach where a number of dead seals have been found. Photo: Duncan Brown

Sightings of dead and possibly emaciated seals saw the Department of Conservation keeping an eye on Westshore Beach at the weekend.

A young photographer who snapped a lively baby and mother seal frolicking on the stoney shoreline just three weeks ago was shocked to see three dead or gravely ill seals in the past few days.

Corban Lugt, 15, got up close to one of the lifeless seals, which he said appeared to be "very thin"; another sighted in the lagoon at the end of Whakariri Ave was without a head.

It's something DOC services manager Dave Carlton says may be due to rough offshore conditions affecting juvenile seals not yet adept at hunting.

"I sent a ranger out this afternoon.

"We have had three calls about the seals [yesterday].

"There seems to be a large number there - the ranger sighted at least six or seven.

"We have had bad storms offshore - I think the seals have been washing up - someone saw two dead yesterday."

It was likely the carcass found decapitated may have fallen victim to sharks or possibly orca whales, but without a body to examine it would be impossible to confirm, he added.

Temporary signs have been erected warning people of the seals' presence while people are advised to keep dogs on a leash and steer clear of the creatures.

They could move very quickly, had "vicious" tempers and very sharp teeth which carried disease.

"You have got the young seals leaving the rockery, they head out to sea and it gets stormy - they can't find food and not all of them survive - it's not uncommon at this time of year," Mr Carlton said.

Calls often began flooding in to DOC during June and July, with seals showing a preference for areas such as Westshore Beach where they had access to gravel and rocky outcrops.