Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirmed it assisted in the response. Police referred all comment to St John.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) operations manager, Gabe Davies, said they have been informed of the incident at Brighton Beach.
A person has been sent to hospital in a moderate condition after reports they were bit by a seal or sea lion in the water at Brighton Beach, Dunedin. Photo / Google Maps
“It is fairly common for people to see seals or sea lions in coastal environments. On the land, we ask people to stay at least 20m away from them,” Davies said.
He said that, in the sea, seals and sea lions are more curious and will sometimes investigate people.
“It’s extremely uncommon for these interactions to be other than gentle,” Davies said.