There is some good and bad news coming from New Zealand’s popular golf spot where a pregnant sea lion nested herself in preparation for the coming pup. However, residents cannot access any part of the road till the creature lives there.
A Sea lion, Hiriwa, chose Chisholm Links golf course in Dunedin for her pregnancy nest. She has now given birth to her fifth pup. The road leading up to the course from the beach has been temporarily closed for Hiriwa’s safety as she regularly has to cross John Wilson Ocean Drive. She uses the path to visit the ocean for feeding in between looking after her newborn.
“She has come up John Wilson Drive and into the golf course to have her pup in some bushes there,” said Jim Fyfe, a ranger for Department of Conservation coastal Otago biodiversity in an interview to New Zealand Herald. Fyfe was the one who discovered the pregnant sea lion had given birth as he discovered its placenta around the place. He took the afterbirth and threw it over the cliff so that stray/wild dogs wouldn’t circle the area attracted by the smell of blood.
“We've closed John Wilson Ocean Drive to vehicles for the next month to allow the special resident to use the road safely,” announced the city council after the birth.
While vehicles are safely out of the way, pedestrians are still allowed in the area. However, the department issued an advisory that walkers and golfers in the area should remain alert and keep an eye out for Hiriwa. If they spot her, they have been advised to maintain a safe distance from the sea creature.
This is the first time a pup is being cared for at the golf course. The 150-kilogram sea lion is reported to be nestling in the bush alongside the 13th hole in order to care for her newborn. While there are golfer’s shots to worry about, Fyfe is worried about other animals.
He says the biggest thing to worry about right now is dog walkers who come along the golf course with their pets in tow. They would not expect a giant sea creature there and might get startled. He worries how anyone involved would react and for their safety.
According to the Golf Club’s manager, the animals around there are “honorary members” to the facility. He was quite delighted that the sea lion chose this spot to create the miracle of life. He says she is quite relaxed and well behaved but new mothers among wild animals are known to get excessively aggressive if they sense a threat to their baby. Fortunately, there have been no such instances so far as humans there have given her ample space.