A New Zealand fur seal has been released back into the ocean after being found in a cow paddock near Bega in south-eastern New South Wales.

Corrie Shepherd had been driving along Tathra Road in Jellat Jellat when she saw the seal come out of a creek near Russell’s Bridge. The seal then made its way into a nearby paddock.

Ms Shepherd called the National Parks and Wildlife Service then waited, keeping an eye on the seal’s movements.

National parks officer Grant Brewer said three officers and three council rangers were involved in the rescue.

“It looked like it was in a good condition, but it looked very tired,” he said.

“We thought it wasn’t a good option to try herd it back into the creek so we thought we’d go to plan B, and catch it.”

The officers used a special seal net which goes over the head of the animal, trapping down its flippers.

All the rescuers then piled on top of the seal to pin it down so they could move it on to a trailer to tow it to the coast.

“We rang up the police and told them what we were doing because we were going to be travelling along with the guys in the back of the trailer, with the seal,” Mr Brewer said.

The rescuers had to pile on top of the fur seal to move it on the back of a ute.

They drove the seal about 14 kilometres to the mouth of the Bega River at Mogareeka.

Mr Brewer said the seal was very calm and looked fine when it swam off.

“It’s just gone up the river looking for food and I think it’s gotten disorientated. It just looked like it was lost so we put it back where it should be,” he said.

Earlier this year National Parks rescued a dugong found in nearby Merimbula, airlifting it to Queensland.

—ABC