Seal turns up at car wash

A seal has been discovered at a car wash in Papakura, believed to be the same animal that had to be wrangled from the Auckland suburb yesterday.

Police are monitoring the young adult male seal and the Department of Conservation (Doc) has been called to deal with the unwelcome visitor.

The Fire Service is also at the scene. Northern communications shift manager Scott Osmond said they were contacted by police early today advising the seal was on Great South Rd.

Mr Osmond said it was an unusual and not particularly welcome sight at 3am.

Yesterday, the seal waddled its way into the middle of a road, with the callout to Coles Crescent coded a "mammal hazard".

At about lunch time, it had been herded down to the reserve near the estuary by police and firefighters and was monitored by Doc staff.

There has been speculation that the bitter chill over Auckland last night forced the seal to seek shelter.

However, seals have the ability to regulate their body temperature.

They have a thick layer of blubber to keep their internal organs insulated and grow new skin each year to prevent damaged layers losing heat which can result in hypothermia. 

- Additional reporting NZME. 

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