All of us at NZ Sea Lion Trust would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who donated so much of their time and energy to watch over `Gem ‘and her female pup. The Tomahawk Smaill’s Beachcare Trust, and surrounding community, generously helped with erecting signs and looking after the new arrival and it was great to know that mother and baby were being well looked after.
The number of people who came to look at the pup was fantastic and gave us a great opportunity to answer people’s questions on the plight of this `nationally critical ‘species while they enjoyed unparalleled views of the new born pup and her mum.
Tomahawk ‘Gem’ and pup moved to safe location
Early on the morning of Friday 20th January, DOC, the Sea Lion Trust and University of Otago PhD students gathered at Tomahawk Beach. There Gem was gently netted and, with supervision from local vet, she was sedated while the pup was popped quietly into a safe carry box.
Although Gem took a little while to `go under’ she was never in any real danger from this procedure which has been used successfully on NZ Sea Lions in the past.
A flexible, plastic stretcher was then laid out on the beach. She was popped into this and lifted into the back of a secure vehicle for transportation to a secluded haven up the coast.
There the pup was tagged and micro-chipped as is done with all new sea lion pups are in Otago and Southland. This allows us to follow their movements over the years and build up a better picture of their behaviour and ecology.
DOC staff stayed with the female and pup for the rest of the afternoon to make sure mother and pup bonded again and everything was okay. A roster was then established and the pair was checked upon daily over the next week by DOC staff or Sea Lion Trust members. Gem has since been out to sea to feed and returned safely to her pup.
This is fantastic news for although we have translocated females and pups from at risk beaches in the past, every animal is different in temperament and it always a worrying time until we see them ` doing their own thing’ again after the sedative wears off. Hopefully Gem’s pup will grow into a big, healthy female who will stay on our coast and help increase the local Otago sea lion population and gem will go on to breed again in years ahead.
Link to Otago Daily Times coverage:
Tomahawk sea lion pup to be moved to a more discrete location
The Department of Conservation, in consultation with NZ Sea Lion trust, has decided to move the 1-week old pup and its mum to a more discrete location on Otago Peninsula. At its currenty location the pup is at risk from dog attack, especially when the mother starts going to sea to feed leaving the pup alone on the beach. This translocation procedure has been successfully carried out before when we had to move Leone and her pup from Smaills Beach in 2002. The move is likely within the next week. A vet will be on hand to oversee the operation.
Click below for link to Channel 9 news item:
http://www.ch9.co.nz/node/16644
Sea lion pup born on busy Dunedin Beach
Our second pup for 2012 has been born on Tomahawk Beach, a busy beach close to Dunedin city. Normally female sea lions choose more secluded locations and its potential vulnerability especially to a dog attack is a concern. Click here for more details and how you can help.
Population viability analysis of New Zealand sea lions, Auckland Islands
A new Polar Biology paper by Louise Chilvers that uses technique known as Population Viabliity Analysis (PVA) to tease apart the impacts of disease outbreaks and fishing effort on the sea lion population. The main conclusions are that disease outbreaks suppress population growth, but do not cause the observed population decline, whereas past levels of fishing effort explain the population decline well.
Click link below to read the full paper:
Chilvers 2012 PVA sea lions
Petition calling for urgent review of sealion management
The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society has a petition calling for an urgent review of the management of NZ sea lions – If you are as concerned as we are about this latest threat to one of New Zealand’s ‘nationaly critical’ species please sign up and share the link.
For more background on the petition visit F&B sea lion appeal 2012 and check out this short TV3 News item.
Government Sea Lion proposal at odds with new DOC information
“A University of Otago expert on rare New Zealand Sea Lions says the Government’s proposed radical policy change which he is certain will endanger the species comes despite two of its own departments producing conflicting advice on the issue.”
Click here to read the full article :
First Pup of the 2011/2012 season!
While out and about on the coast today (31st Dec) Steve came across a female with newborn male pup.
We think the mother may be `Zoe’ - born 2004/2005, daughter of `Leone’, who was `Mum- The Matriarch’s second pup.
This is a little early than expected but a great way to see the year out.
Females have also been reported from Tomahawk/ St Clair Beach area and Blackhead Beach.
We will be following up on these sightings and checking other likely beaches in the days ahead.
If out and about yourself and see any females and/or pups be sure to flick us an email.
MAF advocates NO limit to sea lion bycatch in Auckland Island Squid Fishery!
A recently released position paper describes MAFs proposed management of the Auckland Island Squid Fishery for the 2012 season. This includes NO sea lion bycatch limit! MAF claims recent science has shown the fishery is not responsible for killing sea lions and therefore reducing the sea lion population. Continue reading