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Archive Page
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2008 - latest for the Otago Coast - six pups, two males and three females for the peninsula, and a male for the Catlins female. This pup with its mother is one of them.
2008 brings the surviving pup count in Otago to 29, from a total of 36 births.
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2008 update. At the end of October, Douce (Katya's daughter) was found dead in Papanui Inlet. The body was retrieved for an autopsy. She was a very healthy pup with thick blubber (the fat that insulates their body and keeps them warm). She had no trauma. The only anomaly found was some strange parasites in her intestines and an infection in the abdominal cavity. Biopsy samples have been sent to Massey University for analysis and we await their findings. The parasites found are rare in sea lions and, to date, we had not found a record of any in New Zealand sea lions. In California this parasite has apparently led to the death of sea otters through infection. We hope this is not the case here.
Satellite tracking of four nursing females for 2008.
Background from Amélie Augé
!...Sample data for 2008 available here...!
Read the story of Mum, matriarch of the Otago sea lions
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2007 - 3 pups were born - two females, 3451 (Madeline) to 2580 (Teyah) and 3453 (Hine) to 0350 (Katya), and one male. The male was Mum's 11th pup. Mum is the matriarch of the Otago Coast, and the first sea lion to give birth here in over 200 years. Unfortunately for Mum's pup, Mum was absent for an extended period at a critical time in the wee guy's life. Although he was foster fed by 2578 (Lorelie) who had no new pup of her own, he lost condition and had to be put down. A sad occasion for all those involved.
2007 brings the surviving pup count in Otago to 25, from a total of 31 births.
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3451 at 2 1/2 months
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2006 - a record 6 pups were born in the Otago region - 3 females (2591, 2593, 2594) and 3 males (2590, 2592, 2595). From six breeding females, this is an exceptional result.
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2591 at 3 months
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In 2005, for the first time, 4 sea lion pups were born in the Otago region. The mothers included Victoria, the first of Mum's grand-daughters to give birth. Unfortunately, one of the mothers, Suzie, died and left an orphaned pup which also died. This represented the loss of two valuable females from the small but growing breeding population at Otago. Two of the remaining pups were females which will hopefully remain and begin breeding in 4-5 years time. This brings the total to 22 pups born in Otago since Mum started breeding in the 1993/94 season. Unfortunately 4 of these pups have now died.
Shooting of Fur Seals
On 12 June 2005, several people were seen shooting fur seals on Otago Peninsula from a boat. This was fortunately recorded on video tape by a tourist allowing the Department of Conservation and the police to lay charges against those involved.
Unfortunately this is not the first time fur seals or sea lions have been shot in the Otago region. Typically the only evidence is the carcass of the dead animal with obvious bullet holes. There is a sea lion on Otago Peninsula at the moment with two holes in his back that are likely to be the entry and exit wounds of a bullet. This sea lion seems to have survived but others have not been so lucky. Other sea lions have been rammed by cars or clubbed.
If you see any harassment of any seal species attempt to get documentation of it by photographs or video footage. For DoC to use it, the evidence needs to show the harassment taking place and identification of cars (licence plate), boats (name of boat), tour operators (logo on vehicle or shirt), or individuals involved. Please keep in mind, scientists sometimes legitimately disturb marine mammals for research purposes but they must have a permit to do so legally. If you are unsure, ask - they should have the permit with them and be able to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it.
New Zealand Sea Lion Trust
36 Greenhill Avenue, Wakari,
Dunedin 9010, New Zealand
Email: sealiontrust@clear.net.nz
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