STILL AT HIKUTAIA

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4347, 25 October 1950, Page 5

STILL AT HIKUTAIA

SEAL MOVES UPSTREAM

VISIT OF ORNITHOLOGIST

Mr Turbott, ornithologist of the Auckland museum, was a visitor to Hikutaia during the last week-end to inspect the seal which has been creating so much interest at Hikutaia during the past few weeks. Although Mr Turbott was only able to see the animal in, the water he expressed the opinion that it was a female sea leopard and he stated that these animals always sought fresh water when moulting and while they were moulting they did not require food. He added that when the sea leopard had recovered from moulting she would return to the sea.

The sea leopard has been steadily moving upstream during the week, spending only two days in each pool and last evening it was well up the stream at the back of Mr A. A. .McCollum’s property. Mr Tuirbott states that the sea leopard, which is a protected animal, is usually very ferocious and was known as the terror of the Antarctic.