Pregnant sea lion makes Dunedin's St Kilda her home

The mother of a sea lion pup that was found dead last year has been spotted hiding in a bush in the Dunedin suburb of St Kilda - pregnant with her fourth pup

Joy, the female sea lion, is pregnant and expected to give birth in late December or early January.

DOC 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 her 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'd made headlines and was named Rua by locals after her birth at Warrington beach.