.LynEve

gallery

I stepped closer to the edge and looked down the bank after taking this shot today and this is what I saw! It took time out from scratching itself with one of its big flippers to look back at me. I did not venture any further as I know they can run faster on land then I can !!
Kekeno (New Zealand Fur Seal,Arctocephalus forsteri )
"The New Zealand Fur Seal is only found on the coasts of New Zealand and it’s sub-Antarctic islands with a few colonies on the south coast of Australia. Unlike true seals they have visible ears and do not have a blubber layer so they have fur for warmth. The fur is in two layers. The outer layer of stiffer hairs is silvery brown when dry with the inner layer of soft water proof fur being reddish brown."

They grow up to 2 metres in length and weigh up to about 200kg. Fur seals were hunted by both Maori and Europeans and were close to extinction by the mid-1800s. They recovered prolifically and numbers are now very healthy.They are protected from any form of harassment by the Marine Mammals Protection Act.