HLNZ-001, also known as “Owha” was the first leopard seal ever entered into the New Zealand Leopard Seal Catalogue. She is a female, 3.1 m seal who has been residing in New Zealand waters since at least 2012, when she was photographed off the coast of Dunedin (South Island).
Since then she traveled north and was first recorded off the coast of Northland at Ruakaka on the 1st of June 2015. She has since resided in the waters on the east coast of Northland and the Waitemata Harbour, adjacent to Auckland city. Owha particularly likes hauling out and resting on marina pontoons.
Owha is short for her Māori name “He owha nā ōku tūpuna” which translates to mean “treasured gift from our ancestors”. She received this name from the local Māori hapu (sub-tribe or clan), Ngati Whatua ki Orakei, after she spent more than a year in their home waters.
Owha particularly likes hauling out and resting on marina pontoons. She has been documented at the Auckland Outboard Boating Club Marina, Westhaven Marina, Bays Water Marina, WestPark Marina, Te Atatu Boating Club, Gulf Harbour Marina, Sandspit Marina, Tutukaka Harbour Marina and Marsden Cove Marina.
Additionally, please note that because she likes visiting marinas, she is also vulnerable to boat strike – please do not approach closer than 20m in your boat and please slow down if you have sighted her. She can be very difficult to spot as very little of her body or head typical protrude above the water surface.
We ask that you please report any sightings of leopard seals (including historic ones) to us in order to help us better understand and therefore protect Owha and other leopard seals who visit and reside around our shores.
While the core range for leopard seals is in Antarctic waters, they are known to travel northward and New Zealand is part of their normal range. Leopard seals are classified as a native species and protected in New Zealand by the Marine Mammals Protection Act (MMPA) 1978.
LeopardSeals.org has identified research which shows leopard seals have been present in the New Zealand ecosystem since the 1200s (as evidenced from remains in Maori middens).
Thanks to the increased awareness of leopard seals, and our ever-increasing sightings database and photo identification records, our research shows that these seals have been sighted in all regions of New Zealand and are present year-round. We are in the process of publishing a scientific paper about this research.
New Zealand is currently home to many leopard seals and we believe it would be wrong to remove them from their natural environment just because conflicts in co-existing arise.
Furthermore, removing Owha would involve tranquilising her which carries extreme health risks and even death. Any sudden climate change could be detrimental to her health, she could negatively affect other leopard seals living in the area, and it is possible that she could come back.
The increase in leopard seal sightings in New Zealand means this situation could recur. That’s why it’s paramount that we find common ground through research so we can successfully co-exist with leopard seals, including Owha.
In the six years that Owha has been sighted in New Zealand, often in highly populated regions such as Auckland, and in high
density boating areas such as marinas, Owha has never shown any aggression, nor has she attacked anyone to our knowledge.
On the contrary, there have been verified records of people harassing, threatening and showing aggression towards her (and other leopard seals), none of which have ever elicited an attack.
LeopardSeals.org is actively engaged with local Iwi groups, the marina teams and the Department of Conservation to manage this situation. Many communities around the world successfully co-exist with wildlife and these models are helping us understand how we can co-exist in this unique situation. We currently provide public education talks and conduct outreach to ensure the safety of both the public and Owha while research is ongoing.
Enrichment objects such as toys that could be used with Owha in order to minimise her affinity for dinghies and fenders are being evaluated. Records of damage are being kept and Owha’s general use of the marina is also being assessed. By noting any associated behaviours during reports, we hope to improve our understanding and therefore provide the most appropriate and informed decisions for harmonious co-existence. Lastly, we have begun a research program to better understand how to co-exist with leopard seals in New Zealand.
We hope these activities will lead us all to a harmonious coexistence between people and leopard seals.
We have a dedicated team of volunteers who monitor Owha’s movements and operate a 24-hour hotline (0800 LEOPARD) for
reports of leopard seal sightings, property damage and any concerns you may have.
To maximise animal and human safety, we advise that you keep at least 20 metres away from any leopard seal you encounter, that children be closely supervised, and dogs kept on a leash.