Small seal causes brief traffic halt in downtown Wellington
Saturday 26 September 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story NZME
A determined seal caused traffic to stop in downtown Wellington on Saturday night. Police officers used road cones to help guide the animal across the road. Onlookers watched as the creature was escorted through the city.
Key facts
4 facts
- The incident occurred at 6.55pm on a Saturday night in Wellington.
- The seal was located near Waterloo Quay, Bunny St, and Hnry Stadium.
- Police used road cones to attempt to guide the seal.
- The Department of Conservation was notified by police.
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
A small seal caused traffic to stop in downtown Wellington on Saturday night. Police were called to the scene near Waterloo Quay and Bunny St at 6.55pm following reports of a seal crossing the road.
Officers used road cones to try and guide the animal, which was described as a "very determined little seal". The seal appeared to be headstrong and did not obey the attempts to guide it with the cones.
A driver named Wendy reported seeing the animal near Hnry Stadium while travelling from Petone. She noted that it was a surprising and wonderful sight to see nature in such an unusual area.
Police notified the Department of Conservation regarding the incident. It is common for young seals to wander into unusual locations between May and September, a time the Department of Conservation calls "silly seal season".
Where reports differ
- One report describes the seal as "pretty small" while another describes it as a "very determined little seal".
Compiled from reports by Stuff and NZ Herald.