Wikipedia

Draft:Owha

A leopard seal in Antarctica

Sources:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Biography

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Owha was first spotted off Dunedin in 2012. Since 2015 she had been living on the east coast of Northland, and in Waitematā Harbour in Auckland.[20] In 2016 local hapū Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei gave her the name "He owha nā ōku tūpuna", or Owha for short, meaning "treasured gift from our ancestors".[21]

In September 2019 after Owha was seen foaming around her mouth,[22] it was noticed that she had a foreign object stuck in her mouth. This was not the first time it had happened; in previous times the objects cleared naturally.[23] Later, in a seperate incident in October, Owha was found with a bleeding face.[24] Three separate vets said that it appeared to be caused by a gunshot wound.[25][26] In attempt to find the suspect, a $5000 reward was offered by conservation group Sea Shepherd.[27][28]

She came back to Northland in early 2020. Authorities discouraged people from posting her location online, to avoid large gatherings of people around her, which breach COVID-19 lockdown rules. After an earlier visit in Auckland, police were called to break up a crowd around her.[29]

In April 2022 fishing hooks, a fishing line and sinkers were removed from Owha's mouth using a long pole with scissors on the end.[30][31]

Stuff wrote that Owha has a "highly inquisitive behaviour and penchant for destroying fenders and popping inflatable dinghies".[32] She also sometimes floods dinghies by putting her head in them.[33] According to the Department of Conservation, Owha is "the longest tracked leopard seal in the world".[20] Owha has a "a V-shaped scar on her left cheek and parallel scars on her right side".[23] Is often in Auckland's marinas, and likes sleeping on pontoons.[26]

The Department of Conservation placed several signs around several Auckland marinas often occupied by Owha, which explain how to stay safe near her.[21] This is also done by the Herald Island Boating Club.[33]

Attracts crowds when she lies on pontoons.[34]

Criticism

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People have expressed concerns about Owha causing injuries to pets or children after she was filmed killing and eating a fur seal. They have also been concerned about her tendency to pop inflatable dinghies and cause damage to other equipment; Owha has caused several thousand dollars in damages. Due to these concerns, people have suggested that Owha be removed from Waitematā Harbour. The Department of Conservation and a biologist from NIWA have said that relocation would be too risky as a tranquiliser could kill Owha,[32] due to a dive reflex seals have which stops them from breathing.[32][21] The Department of Conservation have also said that Owha would likely make her way back to the harbour.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Oh no Owha! Seal makes snack of Auckland dinghies". RNZ. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Wanted: $5000 reward for information on who shot Auckland's famous leopard seal". The New Zealand Herald. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Owha the leopard seal makes welcome return to Auckland shores". The New Zealand Herald. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Leopard seal Owha recovering well from bloody injury". RNZ. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Mystery remains over who attacked Owha the leopard seal". RNZ. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Shot: Famed Auckland leopard seal Owha injured, firearm suspected". The New Zealand Herald. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Owha the leopard seal wows ferry commuters". The New Zealand Herald. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Owha and her friends awarded citizenship | NIWA". niwa.co.nz. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Antarctic leopard seal given a name as it makes Auckland her new home". Stuff. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Seal with suspected gunshot wound may have changed behaviour forever, biologist says". RNZ. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  11. ^ "'It's not the first time': New Zealand's resident leopard seal Owha threatened". The New Zealand Herald. 25 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Warning to give leopard seal Owha a wide berth". Northern Advocate. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Owha the seal in distress as fishing gear gets caught in mouth". RNZ. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Spotted: Owha the seal is back". RNZ. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Leopard seals now officially considered New Zealand residents". Stuff. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Owha the seal in distress as fishing gear gets caught in mouth". RNZ. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Move to reclassify leopard seals as a 'resident' NZ species". RNZ. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Aquatic visitor Owha sparks rethink on seal habitat". Northern Advocate. 19 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Auckland marinas want to be able to remove seals". Stuff. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Leopard seal provoked". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  21. ^ a b c "Antarctic leopard seal given a name as it makes Auckland her new home". Stuff. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Concerns raised about Owha the leopard seal". RNZ. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Have you seen Owha? Search for injured leopard seal with foreign object in her mouth". Stuff. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Leopard seal Owha injured in Auckland Harbour | NIWA". niwa.co.nz. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Leopard seal Owha's injury believed to be from bullet wound". RNZ. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Auckland's beloved leopard seal Owha apparently shot in the face". Stuff. 28 October 2019.
  27. ^ "Investigation into suspected gunshot wound of Auckland leopard seal Owha has good leads". Stuff. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Auckland's resident leopard seal Owha resting after apparent gun shot to the face". Stuff. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  29. ^ "Owha the leopard seal is back in Northland but don't post her location online". Northern Advocate. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Concern for Auckland's resident leopard seal, Owha, after fishing hook stuck in mouth". Stuff. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Auckland leopard seal Owha recovering after fishing gear removed from mouth". The New Zealand Herald. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d "Auckland leopard seal Owha causing trouble, but can't be relocated". Stuff. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  33. ^ a b "'Incredibly curious' leopard seal Owha returns to Auckland". RNZ. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  34. ^ "Owha the curious seal makes waves in Waitemata Harbour". RNZ. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
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