Family discovers an unexpected animal napping on their porch: a seal pup

You never know what kind of animal you might find right outside your doorstep. Recently, one family got quite a surprise after a very unexpected animal wandered far from home and decided to take a nap on their porch.

According to a Facebook post from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, a family in Wellington discovered a seal pup outside their home last week, curling up for a cozy nap on their porch:

“It had been on a bit of a mission, climbing up the seawall stairs, crossing a road, hiking up a footpath, a driveway, and finally another set of stairs, before reaching its nap spot,” the Department of Conservation wrote.

“It’s not every day you come home to find a seal curled up on your front porch.”

The creature is a New Zealand fur seal, or kekeno. Despite the name, they are not true seals, and are more closely related to the sea lion.

It’s not uncommon for young seals to pop up like this during this time of year: May through September is known as “seal silly season” in New Zealand, when young pups and adult males leave their colonies.

These seals like to explore the wider world during this period, and locals often find seals in the roadways, public spaces and even their homes.

But the Department of Conservation stresses that this is normal and that the seals should to go about their business without much intervention: “They might look skinny or sick, with weepy eyes and a cough, but this is normal – seals are very resilient animals,” they wrote on Facebook. “Seals need rest, not rescuing.”

However they also said that if a seal is on your property, injured or in danger, it’s best to call the department. In the case of this sleepy porch seal, an officer arrived and relocated it to a safer location away from dogs and traffic.

Related Posts

At my twin babies’ funeral, my mother-in-law said something so cruel the entire room fell

The room remained suspended in a collective gasp, the air charged with a tension so palpable it felt like the walls themselves were holding their breath. All…

I went to visit my hospitalized daughter with my son. In the hospital room, my son suddenly whispered “Mom, hide behind the curtain!” When I asked “Why?” he said, trembling, “Just do it, quick!” Right after I hid, a nurse came in and the words she said made me freeze.

I went to visit my hospitalized daughter with my son. That sentence sounds ordinary, but the moment I stepped into Room 304 at St. Andrew’s Children’s Hospital,…

A Blind Veteran Approached an Aggressive Police Dog No One Could Touch. The Animal’s Reaction

Ethan could feel the warmth emanating from the steel bars, a stark contrast to the cool metal of his cane. He knew the dog was close, but…

A 8-Year-Old Girl Calls 911 and Says, ‘It Was My Dad and His Friend… Please

His heart raced, not knowing what awaited him inside. As he approached the door, he observed the worn paint and the overgrown lawn, signs of neglect that…

‘Homeless and Hungry’: The Sign Held by a Homeless Woman I Took In, Only to Be Kicked Out of My Own Home the Same Day — Story of the Day

I thought I was saving a homeless woman, but I had no idea who she really was. The moment my husband saw her sitting in our kitchen,…

A trucker pulls over at a diner and orders a cheeseburger

A trucker pulls over at a diner and orders a cheeseburger, a cup of coffee, and one slice of cherry pie. While he’s waiting for his food,…