Almost there! Check your email inbox to finalise email verification. You'll then be asked to choose a password so you can log in to The Spinoff. March 11, 2021 A New Zealand sea lion (Photo: DOC) They’re big, they’re bold and they’re back: Why sea lions returned to the mainland Noticed a lot more sea lions popping up around our inhabited coastline in recent years? There’s a good reason for that, explains Erica Wilkinson of DoC. Did you know that when a New Zealand sea lion wants to play, it leans down on its front legs with its head close to the ground – the identical “play bow” that we love to see our pet dogs do?