A public notice has been issued to warn New Zealanders and travellers about all the wayward youngsters who've been left to fend for themselves.
They're talking about seals and sea lions, and a wildlife ecologist says Kiwis and tourists need to be aware of the "silly seal season".
Wildlife ecologist Louise Chilvers told Newshub it's the season for seal and sea lion cubs are being weaned from their mothers.
"Their mothers are saying, 'Right, enough, no more milk for you'."
The babies are shown the front door "like a teenager being kicked out of home".
Or, one might say, floundering around.
"What would you do in your first time away from home? You'd go and find junk food and find new places to explore."
The Department of Conservation (DoC) is putting us on high alert: Look out for seals leaving their breeding colonies and heading out into the big wide world.
Some are even invading homes.
"They're not being naughty, they just don't understand."
Like an actual teenager venturing to and sleeping in the wrong places.
"Under houses or under baches. Or a nice tar-sealed road which has kept all of its heat. A dairy farm."
Even a keen plane spotter.
"They had a juvenile settle on the Auckland tarmac of the airport and closed down the airport for half an hour."
But unlike some people, humans need to respect the wayward teens, who happen to be legally protected.
"You should stay a minimum of five metres away and realistically you should stay about 20 metres away."
Or they might slap you in a face with a live octopus… no, really.
