The sounds of a typical evening at a bar are familiar. Clinking glasses, low chatter, the hum of a cooler. But for one bar owner in Richmond, New Zealand, the routine was shattered by a visitor nobody expected. It wasn’t a regular, nor was it a stray dog looking for scraps. It was a baby seal.
Bella Evans, the owner, first spotted the small creature from the corner of her eye. She assumed it was just a neighborhood dog that had wandered in, a common enough occurrence. A closer look changed everything. The animal was sleek, dark, and utterly out of place. It was a young fur seal, far from the waters of the Tasman Bay.
The shock quickly gave way to a gentle sense of responsibility. This was not a customer to be shooed away but a wild animal in a confusing situation. The baby seal, likely disoriented and scared, found a hiding spot within the bar, leaving the staff with a unique and delicate problem to solve.
From Confusion to a Clever Plan
How do you coax a wild marine mammal out of a bar? The usual methods wouldn’t work. Yelling or trying to physically move the seal would only cause it immense stress and could be dangerous for both the animal and the people involved. The team knew they needed a plan that relied on persuasion, not force. They had to think like a seal.
What does a seal want? Fish. The bar’s kitchen, however, didn’t have a fresh fish on hand ready to be used as bait. Thinking on their feet, the staff came up with an ingenious solution rooted in their own menu. They decided to use a topping from one of their pizzas. A single, fragrant piece of salmon was carefully removed, its scent a powerful lure for the little lost visitor.
The plan was put into motion. The piece of salmon was used to gently entice the seal out of its hiding place. It worked. The young animal, guided by its nose, cautiously followed the treat, moving slowly from the unfamiliar interior of the bar back towards the exit and the fresh air outside. The staff managed the situation with impressive calm, ensuring the seal felt safe throughout its brief, strange adventure.
A Safe Return to the Wild
With the seal safely outside, the next step was to call in the experts. The bar staff contacted the Department of Conservation, who dispatched rangers to the scene. The team’s quick thinking and gentle handling of the animal earned them high praise. They had successfully de-escalated a potentially stressful situation for the young seal.
Department of Conservation spokesperson Helen Otley commended the bar’s employees for their actions.
Bar staff “did a great job keeping the seal safe” until rangers arrived.
The rangers were able to assess the seal, ensure it was healthy, and transport it back to a more suitable coastal environment. Thanks to the combined efforts of the compassionate bar staff and the professional rangers, the little explorer was safely returned to the wild, leaving behind an unforgettable story for the patrons of the Richmond establishment.
When Wildlife Wanders In
While a seal in a bar is exceptionally rare, it’s not unheard of for New Zealand fur seals, especially curious pups, to venture into unexpected places. They are known to travel up rivers and drainage systems, sometimes becoming disoriented and appearing in backyards, streets, and, evidently, local businesses. Conservation authorities advise the public on how to react when encountering a seal in an unusual location.
If you find a seal where it shouldn’t be, experts suggest the following:
- Keep your distance. Stay at least 20 meters away and do not attempt to touch or handle the seal.
- Keep pets and children away. This is for the safety of both your family and the animal.
- Do not feed the seal. While it worked in this specific case, feeding wild animals is generally discouraged as it can disrupt their natural behaviors.
- Observe the animal. If the seal appears to be healthy and is not in immediate danger (like on a busy road), it may find its own way back to the water.
- Call for help. If the seal is injured, being harassed, or is in a dangerous location, contact your local conservation authority or animal rescue organization.
The incident in Richmond serves as a heartwarming reminder of how a little quick thinking and a lot of compassion can lead to a positive outcome for our wild neighbors. For Bella Evans and her staff, it was a night they won’t soon forget—the night a baby seal walked into their bar and was lured out with a pizza topping.