Seals

	Fur seal pups are impossibly cute. Visit a colony and you might see them romping in rock pools.
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The New Zealand fur seal (kekeno in Maori) is easy to recognise. It has a pointy nose, long whiskers and visible external ears. Its other special feature is a luxurious fur coat - a fashion accessory that saw it nearly hunted to extinction before it was officially protected in 1894. Fortunately, the population made a spectacular recovery.

While the fur seal is easily the most common pinniped along New Zealand shores, you can also hope to spy Hooker's sea lions, southern elephant seals and leopard seals. In the South Island, seal-spotting hot spots include Tonga Island in the Abel Tasman National Park, Cape Foulwind near Westport, Kaikoura, the Catlins Coast and Gillespies Beach near Haast. In the North Island, you'd be sure of a few photographs at Cape Palliser near Wellington or Castlepoint on the Wairarapa coast. In some locations, such as Kaikoura, guided seal swimming experiences let you appreciate these entertaining creatures in their own element.