Random seal turns up at Te Puke property, 2km from nearest river

A lone seal has caused a stir after it turned up at a Te Puke property, at least two kilometres from the nearest river.

Devon Campny lives next door to the property on Young Rd where the seal appeared today.

"We got woken up this morning by the lawnmower man of the neighbour's who came by to tell us there was a loose seal next door, 'because the owners of the house are away'."

Campny said he had seen seals before but never one this far from the ocean or a river.

"It's trying to get back to the river but it's so far from any water that it's bizarre it's here."

At 2km away the Kaituna River is the nearest body of water to the property and in the other direction the ocean is much further away.

It's thought the seal swam through streams and drains looking for fish and got lost, ending up at the property near Te Puke.

The police were called and arrived at the scene followed by a Department of Conservation staff member.

Campny said he and his family tried to help the DOC worker catch the seal but it was proving difficult.

A seal turned up in the garden of Devon Campny in rural Te Puke today. Photo / Supplied

"She tried to wrestle with it for a bit and get it out of the paddock. It ended up being chased through a fence and they've got a net here for it but it's too heavy to pick up."

Campny said the group offered to help the DOC worker catch the seal but she warned seals carry diseases and can bite.

"It's certainly very active and it was getting a bit aggressive when they were chasing it but it seems pretty calm now. It's just sunbathing."

Reinforcement DOC staff had been called in to help get the seal back to water but in the meantime a sign had been erected to warn the neighbouring homeowners in case they return to find the seal camped out on their property.

"It would have to go across the motorway to get to any water so that's why we can't just leave it," Campny said.