Department of Conservation researchers are investigating a significant decline in New Zealand sea lion pups born this breeding season. Once found widely around the mainland coastline, the breeding population has now largely retreated to the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic islands and there is concern about the growing vulnerability of the remaining breeding colonies.
Over 85% of all breeding occurs on the Auckland Islands and DOC researchers, working on the islands this summer, are recording a 31% fall in the number of New Zealand sea lion pups born this season.
Whatever the cause, this latest setback for the breeding population highlights the vulnerability of the species.”
New Zealand sea lions face a number of natural and human threats, such as fishing and disturbance by beachgoers and dogs along the mainland coastline in the past year. DOC ultimately aims to rebuild the population to non-threatened status.
(From scoop.co.nz – New Zealand)