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Supplied / Naomi Austen-Reid / Stuff
Drivers are advised to be on the lookout for wildlife and to be extra careful when driving vehicles on beaches.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking people to be vigilant when driving on beaches after a fur seal pup was found fatally injured near Christchurch.
The young New Zealand sea lion, or kekeno, was found on a beach two kilometers north of Spencer Park on Thursday afternoon.
The animal was in considerable distress with insurmountable injuries and had to be euthanized.
Operations manager Andy Thompson said people should always expect native wildlife on beaches and coastal areas.
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“Sadly, the Kekeno is believed to have been hit by a vehicle on the beach and suffered a serious head injury.
“The beach is often driven by people going fishing or fishing and there were many visible tire tracks in the sand around the seal.”
No one has come forward to claim responsibility yet.
Thompson said that people who drive on the beach should be especially careful as seals and their pups often come ashore to rest at this time of year and can mix well with the sand.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
The DOC says that seals and their pups often come to shore to rest at this time of year and can end up in unusual places.
“It is also worth slowing down because many fishermen are heading towards the mouth of the Waimakariri River through this route in the dark.
The DOC generally takes a hands-off approach with seals, he said, as they are hardy animals that generally find their way home given space and time.
“But in this case, the extent of the seal’s injuries meant that a ranger needed to intervene.
“DOC rangers are passionate about protecting New Zealand’s native wildlife and never like having to respond to avoidable incidents like this.”
New Zealand’s fur seal population is not considered endangered, and their numbers are on the rise.
The DOC advises the public to stay at least 20 meters from any seals it encounters and to keep dogs and children away from them.
Anyone who sees an injured or endangered seal or other native fauna should call the DOC’s hotline at 0800 362 46.
