Sea lion Mika gave birth to a pup in the front yard of a St Kilda property on Friday night, not far from the spot she gave birth last season.
Looking over the pair from an appropriate distance on Saturday were Kaitlin , 12, and her mother Kirsty Beyer.
They were pleased to see Mika return to the neighbourhood as they, and Kirsty’s father, worked closely with former Department of Conservation ranger Jim Fyfe to monitor Mika last season.
Before she met Mika, Kaitlin said she had not known anything about the animals, but now: "I love sea lions".
Ms Beyer said it was nice Mika had "come back home".
"I think it’s amazing, especially that she’s come back for a second year and that she feels safe to come back.
"They are precious."
Mika is the great-great-granddaughter of Mum, the matriarch of the Dunedin sea lion population.
A resident at the property said Mika had given birth on Friday night, and she and her pup were "absolutely beautiful".
Pregnant sea lions head inland in search of potential birthing and pupping sites, away from the advances of males.
The first recorded pup of this season was born on Christmas Day, to 6-year-old Tui.
In a statement at the time, Doc biodiversity ranger Moss Thompson said 35 pups were expected this season from the 49 breeding-age females in the local population.
More mother-pup pairs were expected in areas of coastal Otago.
"In some areas, there may be changes to access tracks on certain beaches and signs requesting no dogs, or that they are kept on leads," he said.
"These changes will be temporary while we have mums and pups using these areas."
He asked people follow signage and drive carefully in coastal areas.
To achieve breeding colony status, at least 35 pups need to be born every year in Dunedin for five years.
Sightings of pups in areas not signposted or marked can be reported to Doc on 0800 362-468.
