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

I Helped My Neighbor’s Son for Three Years—Then the Day I Needed Help, His Mother Broke My Heart..

For three years, my neighbor’s son, little Marcus, knocked on my door at 6 a.m. every morning because his mother worked nights. I packed his lunch, made…

The Letter My Grandfather Hid From My Family

I unfolded the paper with trembling fingers. There were only a few lines, but they changed everything. “Evelyn, if you are reading this, I failed you in…

A Birthday, a Cake, and a Second Chance at Family

I still remember the way she hesitated at the checkout counter. The girl, no more than ten, clutched a small chocolate birthday cake in both hands, its…

The Envelope That Ended Their Luxury Life

Arthur opened the envelope while Eleanor stood behind him, still complaining about the movers. His face changed after the first page. “What is this?” he whispered. I…

My Wife Left Me After I Lost My Job—But Three Days Later, I Learned Why..

After 14 years at the same company, my boss suddenly fired me. When I told my wife, she packed her things and left without explaining. I was…

I Came Home After Five Days Away and Found My Sick Son Being Ignored—Then I Said, “Get Out.”..

After five days away at a work conference, Ethan came home expecting to see his wife Lauren and their two-year-old son, Noah. Instead, he found Lauren exhausted…