The pup was born to first-time mother Gail some time on Sunday night ``at a remote location'' on the Otago coast.
A Sea Lion Trust and Department of Conservation volunteer found her and her pup on Monday. And yesterday, the mother and pup were lying together, sleeping peacefully.
Potentially, 16 more pups could be born on Otago beaches this summer, as 16 other adult females are known to be pregnant.
The Department of Conservation's biodiversity ranger for Coastal Otago, Jim Fyfe, said the 17 pups expected in Otago this summer would be five more than last year.
As well as Gail, two other adult females were expected to have their first pup.
Almost all the female sea lions on the Otago coast were descended from a female sea lion nicknamed Mum. She began having pups here in 1993, that baby being the first sea-lion born on the mainland in more than 100 years.
More than 150 sea lions now live around the Otago Peninsula.
Another pregnant female, Joy, whose 11-month-old pup Rua was found dead near Portobello a year ago with a bullet wound and a deep cut, came ashore last week at St Kilda.
She was seen hiding in a bush and was expected to give birth within the next couple of weeks.
Sea lions were not afraid of people, but the message was to ``give them space'', Mr Fyfe said.
Doc did not want people to be intimidated by sea lions, he said.
``Sea lions are wild animals. Give them space and enjoy being able to experience a critically endangered, very intelligent species so close to Dunedin.''
