A southern right whale graced Wellington's harbour this morning, leaving onlookers amazed as it swam through the water.
The giant marine mammal was first spotted in the harbour around 9am — being seen from Chaffers Marina, near Te Papa, and Evans Bay later on, Stuff reports.
The minute the whale was spotted, locals immediately wondered if it was Matariki, another southern right that visited Wellington in 2018.
However, Department of Conservation marine science advisor Anton van Helden believes with was a different whale.
Van Helden said the whale "looks too young to be Matariki", meaning the harbour might be a popular spot for other southern right's to visit.
He said that if a whale is spotted in the water, people should "enjoy the whale's visit from the coast, but not approach it in the water or by boat".
"We're lucky to share our natural areas with a variety of species like this whale and should respect their space as they go about their lives."
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