On a wet Sunday evening in Richmond, New Zealand, a baby fur seal waddled into a craft beer bar. Co-owner Bella Evans first thought it was a dog but soon realized the surprise visitor was a seal. "Everyone was in shock," Evans said. "Oh my gosh. What do we do? What’s going on?" The young seal seemed lost and curious. In New Zealand, seals often appear in odd places during a yearly “silly season” when they explore far from the sea. A customer tried to guide the seal out with a sweater, but it dashed into the bathroom and hid under a dishwasher, which was quickly unplugged. The staff then used a creative lure—pizza topped with salmon—to coax it out. Evans said, "I just went to my fiance, I said, ‘grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!’" Conservation rangers were already tracking the seal after several calls from the public. Helen Otley of the Department of Conservation (DoC) praised the bar staff: they "did a great job keeping the seal safe" until help arrived. The seal, named Fern by the pub team, was released safely on nearby Rabbit Island, a dog-free zone. Otley explained this curious behavior is common as seals follow rivers inland up to 15 km. New successful conservation efforts in New Zealand have increased seal numbers, causing more frequent visits to human areas. Evans, new to pub ownership, joked, "There’s been the running joke that we’ve got the seal of approval." Fern might just visit again.