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

After we laid my husband to rest, my son drove me to a quiet road

As I walked down the deserted road, a mix of emotions swirled within me—sadness, betrayal, and an unexpected sense of liberation. The weight of my bag was…

My son took the mic at the $19,000 wedding I paid for and thanked his mother-in-law as his “real mom.” The room froze. I didn’t say a word… until I delivered the moment he’ll regret forever.

I spent $19,000 on my son’s wedding — my entire life savings — believing I was giving him one last gift of love. Instead, I watched him…

When a Cat Rubs Against You, This Is What It Really Means!

In the quiet choreography of a shared life with a feline companion, few gestures are as ubiquitous or as evocative as the “rub.” You walk through the…

Blood sugar drops instantly with this purple onion recipe! A true culinary treasure that few know about! To keep receiving my recipes, you just need to say one thing… Thank you!”

The exhausting cycle of afternoon fatigue, sudden irritability, and uncontrollable sugar cravings often feels like a personal failing rather than a physiological response. You eat a meal…

The Childhood Visits to My Grandfather I Never Questioned — Until Adulthood Answered Them

When I was seven years old, visiting my grandfather was woven into my weeks like a quiet ceremony. It felt important, though I couldn’t have explained why….

This woman exposed her boyfriend after months of paying for him and his children on every date!

A woman had been seeing her boyfriend for several months when she began noticing the same uncomfortable pattern every time they went out to eat. As the…