Check out the awesome video by CNN Travel featuring Hannah Yeardley: a volunteer at the New Zealand Sea Lion Trust and Jim Fyfe: a senior ranger at the Department of Conservation! Access the article here: https://edition.cnn.com/…/new-zealand-sea…/index.html.
When ‘Mum’ appeared at Taieri Mouth in Dunedin NZ in 1993, she gave birth to the first pup born on mainland Aotearoa in over 150 years, and signalled the reintroduction of the indigenous, and endangered species. However, as identified in CNN’s article, “Sea lions have returned to a very different habitat to that of 200 years ago — roads, cars, motorbikes, humans, dogs and all sorts of potential hazards are now prolific in the region. This presents huge challenges in keeping the population healthy and happy.”
Thankfully, there is a resolution! The Clutha District Council’s ‘Vehicles on Beaches Bylaw’ is open for public submissions from the 19th of May – 20th of June 2022. Submissions can be made via the online form on their website: https://www.cluthadc.govt.nz, email or mail. You possess the power to make change, and to vote to restrict vehicles on beaches in the Clutha District to protect pakake and hoiho.