New Zealand has closed a road for a month to ensure sea lions can safely nest.

A local council in New Zealand has announced a temporary road closure for a month to help a sea lion and her pup safely reach the ocean.

John Wilson Ocean Drive in Dunedin will be off-limits after rare New Zealand sea lions established their home near a golf course and began regularly crossing the road to get to the beach, according to a Facebook post by the Dunedin City Council on Monday.

The post also noted that visitors can still access the area by foot or bike, but urged people to maintain a distance of at least 20 meters from the sea lions.

It further advised dog owners to keep their pets on a leash as the sea lions can be difficult to spot.

Residents expressed their support for the decision in the post's comments, with one person even suggesting the road closure should be made permanent.

Gaylene Smith commented, 'Dogs should not be allowed on the beach either. We must protect our precious sea life.'

Dogs have been known to attack sea lions, and Chisholm Links Golf Course, where the sea lions now live, also shared safety advice for dog walkers in a Facebook update.

'We are fortunate to have marine mammals along our coastline, and it's essential that we share the space with them. This is what makes both our coastal Links and Dunedin's shoreline so special!' wrote the course on Facebook on January 5.

The council clarified that New Zealand sea lions are an endangered species and among the rarest sea lions in the world.

In December 2019, a man from Dunedin sparked outrage after spearing a sea lion while diving.

Matt Kraemer shared on Facebook that he and his partner were diving for paua, a type of abalone, when they encountered a 'particularly aggressive' sea lion with 'lion-sized jaws.'

Kraemer explained that he stabbed the sea lion to protect his partner, but his actions were widely condemned.