Sea lion Joy with Rua, her pup found shot on Otago Peninsula in November last year. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
Joy is expected to give birth later this month or early in January.
Department of Conservation ranger Jim Fyfe said the sea lion was used to people - having crossed a busy road and was now resting in some bushes seeking refuge from the male sea lions.
"She's born and bred Dunedin, so she tends to take all this sort of thing in her stride, but obviously need people to look out for her as well."
Late last year, Joy's 11-month-old pup Rua was found dead on a beach near Portobello - with what appeared to be gunshot wounds and a deep cut on the other side of her body.
She had made headlines and was named Rua by locals after her birth at Warrington beach.
