A leopard seal which hundreds of spectators visited has died, a Hutt City councillor says.
Councillor Brady Dyer said the seal would be removed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Monday.
Conservationists echoed the news on social media, saying they suspected the seal looked unwell.
DOC acting operations manager Olivia Keane said the female rāpoka / leopard seal was found dead in the Hutt River on Saturday afternoon.
Keane said the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) had been informed and would be testing for H5 bird flu.
“DOC is working alongside Taranaki Whānui on next steps including the removal and burial to ensure tikanga is observed.”