Dunedin's St Clair Beach, where a man was spoken to by police after harassing a sea lion. As temperatures soared in Dunedin on Tuesday, tempers also became overheated over a man’s harassment of a protected sea lion. The man left the scene when police arrived, but officers later spoke to him and advised him of “appropriate behaviour around sea lions”, a spokeswoman said. “This is a timely reminder that at this time of year we see many marine species such as seals and sea lions on our beaches, and sometimes in more unexpected places.”New Zealand sea lions, which are nationally critical, are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world. It is an offence under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 to disturb, harass, harm, injure or kill a New Zealand sea lion.

Source: Stuff January 26, 2021 22:52 UTC