Sea lion Hiriwa and her pup have been on the move in Dunedin and lately they have been at Tomahawk Beach.
Rangers are regularly checking on the mum and her pup and Doc has signage up to make people aware of sea lions in the area.
The pair delayed a group’s round of golf at the Chisholm Park links last Thursday and crossed John Wilson Ocean Dr to head to the beach at Lawyers Head.
The pup, about 6 weeks old, had its first swim there, Department of Conservation Dunedin biodiversity ranger Jim Fyfe said.
PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
"We want to thank golf course staff and those members of the public who have encountered Hiriwa on the course or in the area and given her the space she needs to raise her pup," Mr Fyfe said.
Doc expects about 20 pups to have been born around Dunedin and Otago Peninsula this year. At 6 weeks old, pups are old enough to be taught some life skills, such as swimming and socialising.
