In an incident that sounds more like the start of a joke, a baby fur seal became an unexpected patron at a craft beer bar in Richmond, New Zealand. The young marine mammal, well below the country's legal drinking age, wandered into the Sprig + Fern The Meadows on a wet Sunday evening, November 30, 2025, creating a memorable scene for staff and customers.
An Unruly Visitor in the Bar
The seal, described as lost and curious, galumphed into the pet-friendly establishment located at the top of New Zealand's South Island. Co-owner Bella Evans initially mistook the creature for a dog, a common sight in her bar. "Everyone was in shock," Evans recalled. "Oh my gosh. What do we do? What's going on?"
Attempts to usher the seal out with a sweater failed as the agile animal evaded capture, dashing into a restroom before finding a hiding spot under the bar's dishwasher. Staff swiftly unplugged the appliance for safety. The situation required a more creative solution, leading Evans to devise a plan using a menu item to lure the seal out.
The Salmon Lure and Ranger Rescue
"I just went to my fiancé, I said, grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!" Evans said, referring to a pizza topping special. Meanwhile, another customer fetched a dog crate from home to contain the visitor. The team then waited for conservation rangers to arrive.
It turned out the Department of Conservation was already on the seal's trail. Helen Otley, a department spokesperson, confirmed they had received "numerous" public reports about a seal in Richmond that day. The call from the pub was their fourth regarding the same wandering animal. "They had been driving around this new-build subdivision trying to find this baby seal," Evans said.
Normal Behavior in 'Silly Season'
The rangers successfully retrieved the seal, which bar staff had kept safe. Otley stated the young fur seal was later released on nearby Rabbit Island, chosen for its safe, dog-free status. She explained that such wanderings are not unusual for curious young seals at this time of year.
"They can turn up in unusual places, like this pub, but this is normal exploratory behavior," Otley noted. She added that seals and sea lions can follow rivers and streams up to 15 kilometers (9 miles) inland. Scientists refer to an annual "silly season" for these species, a period when they regularly appear in strange locations like houses, golf courses, or roads.
This increased contact is partly due to successful conservation programs in New Zealand, which have boosted seal and sea lion populations. For Evans, who has owned the pub with her partner for only a few months, the baby seal—affectionately named Fern by staff—was her first unruly patron requiring eviction. She extended an open invitation, joking, "There's been the running joke that we've got the seal of approval." One thing is certain: salmon will remain on the menu.
