PostSource: NZ Department of ConservationDate: 06 August 2026Usually living around the Antarctic pack ice, leopard seals are occasional visitors to New Zealand shores during autumn and winter. Leopard seals have long slim bodies and large fore flippers. Sarah-Lyn says DOC generally takes a ‘hands-off’ approach to seals, but in this case the leopard seal was napping in a busy area. “We had a rotating roster of DOC staff and some of our trained volunteers to keep the seal and the public safe,” says Sarah-Lyn. After a few days of uninterrupted rest, the leopard seal returned to the ocean, apparently unfazed by the attention his visit attracted.