Professor Louise Chilvers

On why restricting vehicles on beaches is essential: "Endangered New Zealand sea lions are only just starting to return to mainland New Zealand after 200 years absence due to our over harvesting of them in the 19th century. There are less than 500 New Zealand sea lions around mainland New Zealand, of which less than 100 are breeding females, the bed rock of the population. Females need quiet, protected beaches to pup on each summer and cars on beaches have been responsible for distress and separation of mother and pup pairs and just last year the death of a mother and pup pair on the road. The protection of beaches by banning cars where sea lions are present should be a key objective in successfully managing the species, monitoring sites for recolonisation and hopefully leading to new breeding colony of New Zealand sea lions on the South Island of New Zealand."

Professor Louise Chilvers is a Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Massey University. She is an expert on New Zealand sea lions and has written numerous journals about the species.