A Baby Fur Seal Crashes a Craft Beer Bar in New Zealand
In a bizarre incident, a young fur seal wandered into a craft beer bar in Richmond, New Zealand, leaving patrons and staff in shock. The adorable creature, estimated to be just months old, was initially mistaken for a dog by co-owner Bella Evans before she took a closer look.
According to Evans, the pub is pet-friendly, but it wasn't prepared for a furry guest. "Everyone was in shock," she recalled. "Oh my gosh. What do we do? What's going on?" The seal, later named Fern by staff, seemed lost and curious, and its presence sent the bar into chaos.
Customers banded together to try and usher the seal out of the premises, with one individual grabbing a sweater to try and coax it towards the back door. However, Fern had other plans, darting into a bathroom and then hiding under the dishwasher before being swiftly relocated by staff.
To lure Fern out from its hiding spot, Evans enlisted the help of her fiancé, who fetched a dog crate containing a tempting pizza topping. A brief wait ensued for conservation rangers to arrive, but it turned out they were already tracking the wandering seal's movements.
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DoC) confirmed receiving numerous reports about a seal spotted in Richmond on Sunday before Fern turned up at the pub. The DoC praised bar staff for keeping the seal safe until the rangers arrived, saying it was their fourth call for the day – all related to young seals getting lost or exploring unfamiliar territory.
Fern was eventually released on nearby Rabbit Island, considered a safe location due to its dog-free status. According to DoC spokesperson Helen Otley, this is not unusual behavior for curious young seals at this time of year, as they follow rivers and streams up to 15 km inland in search of food and shelter.
The incident has brought smiles to the faces of those involved, with Evans joking that Fern has earned the "seal of approval" from the bar's patrons. The pub, which has been open for just a few months, is now welcoming its furry friend back with open arms.
In a bizarre incident, a young fur seal wandered into a craft beer bar in Richmond, New Zealand, leaving patrons and staff in shock. The adorable creature, estimated to be just months old, was initially mistaken for a dog by co-owner Bella Evans before she took a closer look.
According to Evans, the pub is pet-friendly, but it wasn't prepared for a furry guest. "Everyone was in shock," she recalled. "Oh my gosh. What do we do? What's going on?" The seal, later named Fern by staff, seemed lost and curious, and its presence sent the bar into chaos.
Customers banded together to try and usher the seal out of the premises, with one individual grabbing a sweater to try and coax it towards the back door. However, Fern had other plans, darting into a bathroom and then hiding under the dishwasher before being swiftly relocated by staff.
To lure Fern out from its hiding spot, Evans enlisted the help of her fiancé, who fetched a dog crate containing a tempting pizza topping. A brief wait ensued for conservation rangers to arrive, but it turned out they were already tracking the wandering seal's movements.
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DoC) confirmed receiving numerous reports about a seal spotted in Richmond on Sunday before Fern turned up at the pub. The DoC praised bar staff for keeping the seal safe until the rangers arrived, saying it was their fourth call for the day – all related to young seals getting lost or exploring unfamiliar territory.
Fern was eventually released on nearby Rabbit Island, considered a safe location due to its dog-free status. According to DoC spokesperson Helen Otley, this is not unusual behavior for curious young seals at this time of year, as they follow rivers and streams up to 15 km inland in search of food and shelter.
The incident has brought smiles to the faces of those involved, with Evans joking that Fern has earned the "seal of approval" from the bar's patrons. The pub, which has been open for just a few months, is now welcoming its furry friend back with open arms.
fern is like literally the coolest seal ever lol what does it do now? went from crashing a bar to get pizza on rabbit island lol idk if i'd want my seal to try craft beer though 
anyway glad they got her safe and sound btw 
priceless. anyway, glad the staff were able to keep her safe until the conservation rangers arrived. and now she gets to live on rabbit island 
- sounds like a dream come true for that little guy 
. I wonder if the pub will start having seal-themed events or something 
.
Fern the fur seal may have caused some chaos but it's clear she stole everyone's hearts. And props to Bella and her fiancé for keeping that little guy safe until the pros arrived. 
The fact that the bar is welcoming Fern back is just the best, I'm sure she'll be a regular puppatron now! 
And Fern seems like such a curious and adorable creature - I'm glad they got to release her back into the wild on Rabbit Island. It's not uncommon for young seals to explore new areas, especially during this time of year when they're searching for food and shelter. 
