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A Southern right whale, or tohorā in Te Reo Māori, has been spotted by locals frolicking in the waters just off the Whitianga shoreline this week.

This particular tohorā is also believed to be the same Southern right whale that was spotted swimming in the waters around Mount Maunganui last week.

A Southern right whale, or tohorā in Te Reo Māori, has been spotted in the Mercury Bay this week. Click above for more photos. All Photos: Natasha Hall

Photographer and Whitianga local Natasha Hall says the tohorā spent about a day in the waters at Brophy's Beach before spending another two days at Simpsons Beach.

'The whale was quite playful and curious,” says Natasha. 'It spent a lot of time near the rocks at the northern end of Simpsons. It came in quite close to shore.”

It is thought the tohoroā was part of a pod that was spotted off the coast of Maketu last week.

Posting to Facebook, Department of Conservation services manager Dale Tawa adds this particular tohorā has been making its way up the Coromandel since leaving Tauranga last Thursday.

'Tohoroā are mainly found in sub-Antarctic waters and are rarely seen from mainland New Zealand these days,” the post says. 'It is natural for this species to come so close to shore as it has been.

'However as it is calving season - there is a possibility it could be doing just that.”

The department asks everyone to not harass the tohorā during what could be a critical time for reproduction but to observe the whale from a far distance so as not to harass it and to leave it to.

The Department of Conservation locals see the whale being harassed by people and/or boats they are being asked to call DOC's hotline on: 0800-DOC-HOT (0800-362-468).