Seal silly season: What you need to know as seal population bounces back
Seal at Bunnings Whangarei.
Photo:
DOC/Supplied
Seal and sea lion populations are making a comeback around the country, with many returning to their historic home of New Zealand's mainlands.
It's also seal silly season, meaning young pups are venturing off on their own for the very first time.
They could show up on roads, be chilling in paddocks and even have a wander around Bunnings.
But as seal silly season hits and the populations grow, so do our encounters.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency have now launched a nation-wide project to track the seals appearing near roads and are asking the public for help.
"We're asking people to report sightings of seals, fur seals or sea lions on or near roads," marine senior technical advisor for the Department of Conservation Jody Weir said.
"Your sightings-date, location, even a photo if it's safe- will help us map hotspots and understand the risks. It's a great example of how citizen science could make a real difference."
Sightings reported to DOC before 22 June will help shape the initial national road risk model.
Photo:
DOC/Supplied
The project aims to analyse the road-related risks for marine mammals like seals, and its findings will help with road planning and improvements, and help to find high-risk zones.
"We're thrilled to see populations recovering, but that success comes with new challenges," Weir said.
"We want to protect these taonga species while also keeping people safe. That means understanding where the key hot spots are and planning smarter."
Kaikōura is a prime success story with key hot spots - where fur seals were getting onto SH1 - found, resulting in infrastructure upgrades to help protect the animals and drivers.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency have launched a nation-wide project to track the seals appearing near roads.
Photo:
DOC/Supplied
"These young fur seals are out exploring their wider world while their mums are busy at sea getting food to be able to nurse that rapidly growing pup and grow the developing foetus inside her.
"It's an important stage of development, but it also means they can end up in unusual-and sometimes risky-places. By reporting sightings, you're helping us look out for them during this vulnerable time," Weir said.
Sightings reported to [seeaseal@doc.govt.nz DOC] before 22 June will help shape the initial national road risk model.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
7 hours ago
- RNZ News
'We can grow anything here' A family's growing experiment
rural farming about 1 hour ago The McClutchie whanau explores growing different crops, with aspirations to grow Maori medicinal plants, on their family whenua in North Taranaki.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Country Life: Nick Roskruge - promoting Māori horticultural knowledge
Nick Rahiri Roskruge Photo: RNZ/Sally Round Nick Rahiri Roskruge has gone from working in a cropping gang to academia, and around the world teaching and learning about indigenous foods, but - as he says - he's never really left the paddock. His PhD in soil science led to a position as Professor of Ethnobotany at Massey University, a Fulbright award, and spending time with indigenous people and their crops in the Americas and the Pacific. Retired from his professorship, he said he was busier than ever and chatted to Country Life at his extensive māra in Manawatū about keeping traditional Māori horticultural knowledge alive. Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. Several varieties of kūmara drying after harvest Photo: RNZ/Sally Round Nick Roskruge's collection of Indian corn cobs Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Flight lands safely at Hawke's Bay Airport after Fire and Emergency callout
File pic Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Fire and Emergency (FENZ) was on standby at Hawke's Bay Airport on Friday morning at the request of an inbound Air New Zealand flight. However, around 8am the flight landed safely, an Air New Zealand spokesperson said. "The crew operating NZ5025 from Auckland to Napier this morning received a maintenance alert during the service," the spokesperson said. Chief operating officer Alex Marren said emergency services were called in line with standard operating procedure after such an alert. The aircraft landed safely and the airline's maintenance team would now inspect the aircraft before it was returned to service. FENZ shift manager Chris Dalton earlier said three crews were at the airport as a precaution after an aircraft indicated a possible "situation on board". He said larger airports had their own fire brigades, but in regional areas FENZ was called in to help. Dalton said there had been no suggestion of an emergency. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
