About 9am yesterday, a 17-year-old pregnant sea lion named Gem crossed Taieri Mouth Rd to head inland to find a nesting spot away from the "boisterous male sea lions".
However, she caused a commotion when she decided the 100kmh stretch of road was the best place to have a sleep, causing locals to stop and direct traffic around her.
A local came out and herded Gem off the road through a gate and into a nearby property, where she is now expected to spend much of her time for the next six weeks.
The property owner said Gem just came in, then laid down and went to sleep.
"It’s really exciting and quite lovely.
"I live coastally, so I see a lot of wildlife, but I wasn’t expecting to see some in my front garden.
"She’s just tucked into the corner by a shed in the shade of some trees on the grass.
"She’s right by my clothesline though so I might not be able to hang out my washing for a few days."
Coastal Otago biodiversity ranger Jim Fyfe said Gem was due to give birth in early January and would likely be going back and forth across the road to the property until then.
The Dunedin City Council put up road signs yesterday asking motorists to take care in the area and watch out for Gem and other sea lions who might want to cross the road this nesting season.
Mr Fyfe said Gem was well known and had created quite a bit of work for Doc over the years.
Last year she caused concern when she decided to nest in a spot across the road on a blind corner near Smaills Beach, causing the council to put up road signs in the area.
The year before that, her female pup was hit by a car in Hoopers Inlet.
Gem gave birth to her first pup 13 years ago, on Tomahawk Beach.
Both had to be sedated and moved due to fears of dogs harming the pair.
Mr Fyfe said Taieri Mouth Rd was a very vulnerable site with traffic travelling around 100kmh.
"Please, please, take note of the signage and slow down on this road, because we don’t want to see Gem and her pup taken out on the road."
Gem is a direct descendant of the famous sea lion matriarch Mum, who 30 years ago came ashore in Dunedin from the Auckland Islands and gave birth to the first sea lion born here in more than 300 years.
This January is the 30th anniversary of Mum giving birth to her first pup at Taieri Mouth, about the same time Gem is due to give birth.
