New Zealand fur seal

The seal in question was probably a New Zealand fur seal, which live around New Zealand and parts of Australia.

A New Zealand fur seal has been returned to the ocean after being found in a cow paddock in rural Australia.

"We've been fortunate to see good increases in New Zealand fur seal populations throughout Australia."

Bruce Robertson, a marine scientists at Otago University, said the loss of breeding grounds would cause a localised drop in New Zealand fur seal numbers but nationally the population was increasing and he expected the Ohau Point population would soon establish new breeding grounds nearby.