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Leopard Seal or Pakak (Hydrurga leptonyz)
Contributed by Rosemary Tully of Whakatane Bird Rescue.
Photos by Rosemary Tully
Page sponsor is Whyte
Weddings Photography. Wedding Photographers at Ohope, Whakatane and
the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
 Leopard
seals do occasionally visit the beach at Ohope.
These mammals can move very fast and should be given a wide berth.
They can grow to 3.5 metres in length, (the female being larger than the
male) live for over 25 years, and feeds on fish, squid, penguins and other
seals. They migrate
north in late autumn and winter, and it is believed that they have their
pup during November and December after travelling back to the Antarctic
region. The pup
is weaned at around a month old.
Probably their only enemy is orca (killer whale) besides
man who have hunted this seal in the past.Their
hind limbs are fused together like a tail.
They have made the journey up from Antarctica and come ashore to moult
or rest. They have
very large teeth, are mainly dark grey with dark spots on their body.
It has been estimated that there could be between 200,000 and 400,000+
leopard seals, but as they are usually seen on their own it is hard to
estimate numbers.
The photograph above shows a leopard seal resting on
a local beach
If you find a leopard seal on the beach notify the Department
of Conservation and stay well clear of the seal.
Never get between the sea and the seal. Seals
have been visiting beaches around New Zealand for hundreds of years and
have more rights to the beach than we do, so do not try to move it on
or harass the animal.
They can move very fast and inflict nasty wounds!
© Ohope Beach.info 2003
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