This week one of the greatest mysteries of our time surfaced: how did someone's USB stick end up in the frozen excrement of a leopard seal?

After a year in a NIWA freezer, the slab of poo was thawed to reveal it contained a USB stick still in working order. The unexpected discovery made headlines around the world, and the hunt for the USB owner was on.

Now the identity of that person can be revealed: seal fanatic Amanda Nally. She got in touch with The Project after one of the USB's videos of seals frolicking around a kayak was released, recognising it as her own footage.

"The minute The Project promo came up, I was walking from one room to another and went 'Holy shit, that looks like...'"

She says her USB's newfound viral fame came as a complete surprise, and has detailed how exactly the small device ended up in the droppings.

"I feel bad here because I feel like I'm ruining a really good story. The truth is I am quite seal-focused and I found the leopard seal out at Oreti Beach, and I'm guessing I dropped the USB stick in the seal poo on the beach."

She fondly remembers the day she took the footage of seals swimming around her kayak.

"I'm surprised more people didn't come and tell you who I was, because I have bored all my friends and family with that video."

Ms Nally says getting to kayak with the animals was "a very cool moment" as our native sea lions are endangered - roughly on the same level as kākāpō.

Newshub.