Elizabeth was an elephant seal who decided to make her home in Christchurch’s Avon River. Here, she liked nothing more than hauling out onto its banks and basking in the sun in the middle of busy roads.

But after a car nearly hit Elizabeth, the people of Christchurch started to worry. Maybe she’d be better off with other elephant seals in the wide-open ocean, far away from the city …

The story of Elizabeth, and how she returned again and again to her chosen spot in the Avon River, and how she became beloved by the people of Christchurch, is an inspiring tale of one animal’s determination and love for a different kind of home.