Let’s start recording deaths, here is a map of how many seal pups have died so far in 2021. Please help by recording any seal observations on iNaturalist, or you can email me photos shaun@stet.co.nz.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park was a place kekeno / fur seal pups could come and thrive in.
Update 6 Oct 2021. The Department of Conservation have offered to help with identification. Here are some tips for taking photos: Please take the main photo straight down from above, with a foot for scale, and possibly some close ups of head and flippers (flipper length is often what we use to tell a pup of the year from a yearling).
Update 8 Oct 2021. Newsroom does a good article on the survey
Update 11 Oct 2021. Kennedy Warne discusses the survey on Radio NZ
Update 26 Dec 2021. Survey of NZ Fur Seals (including live animals) in Northland / HGMP initiated by Otago University student. Details here.