A baby fur seal caused a stir on Sunday evening when it waddled into a craft beer bar in Richmond, at the top of New Zealand's South Island. Co-owner Bella Evans initially thought the visitor was a dog, but soon realised it was a seal. 'Everyone was in shock,' Evans said. 'Oh my gosh. What do we do? What's going on?'
The lost and curious creature evaded attempts to usher it out, hiding under a dishwasher after dashing into a bathroom. Evans and a customer devised a plan to lure it out using salmon, a pizza topping the pub was offering as a special. 'I just went to my fiance, I said, grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!' Evans recalled.
Conservation rangers arrived shortly after, having already received multiple reports about the wandering seal. The Department of Conservation (DoC) spokesperson Helen Otley said bar staff 'did a great job keeping the seal safe' until rangers arrived. The seal was released on nearby Rabbit Island, a dog-free location considered safe.
Otley explained that it is not unusual for curious young seals to appear in unexpected places during this time of year, as they follow rivers and streams up to 15 km inland. 'They can turn up in unusual places, like this pub, but this is normal exploratory behaviour,' she said. Successful conservation programmes in New Zealand have led to growing seal populations, increasing contact with humans.
Evans, who has owned the pub for just a few months, said the baby fur seal, named Fern by staff, was the first patron she has had to evict but would be welcome back. 'There's been the running joke that we've got the seal of approval,' she added.
