Owha the leopard seal appears to have swapped central Auckland for the North Shore today, spotted sunning herself in Stanley Bay.
The animal is originally from the freezing Antarctic but has been seen residing in New Zealand's waters, on-and-off, since 2012.
She's usually seen at Westhaven Marina and other marinas in Auckland - and has made a name for herself for misbehaving around the boats.
Local Peter Blackwell snapped a photo of the leopard seal napping on a pontoon at Stanley Bay, while on his way to work today.
"I'm not sure if it is the same seal but we seem to get a yearly visit around this time," he told 1 NEWS.
"It seems to like our swimming pontoon.
"I thought it was fantastic to see it back again… This is a magical country we live in."
Leopard seal researcher Brittany Mathias says while they can't 100 per cent confirm it without more footage, it's very likely the leopard seal is Owha as she's been spotted in the Devonport area before.
"I always get excited when there's another sighting," she told 1 NEWS.
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People in the area should stay away as leopard seals can be dangerous when approached, and are protected by New Zealand law.
Keep at least 20 metres away and don't disturb the animals if you see them, but if you can take photos you can report them to the Leopard seal sightings team.
If you're swimming when a leopard seal approaches, stay calm and make your way out of the water, Ms Mathias says.
Anyone who sees a leopard seal is asked to contact the Leopard Seals team by phoning 0800 LEOPARD (0800 536 7273), messaging them on Facebook or emailing them at info@LeopardSeals.org .
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