Two sea lions have been killed, and a third has been injured after a shooting in the Canterbury region yesterday.
A police spokesperson told 1News the incident took place near the Waitaki River mouth on Saturday.
The two sea lion bodies were set to undergo a post-mortem examination to confirm the cause of death. A third sea lion was injured but swam away.
“Officers are making inquiries into the matter,” they said.
The Department of Conservation said they were also investigating, and urged anyone who may know anything about the attack to come forward.
“Obviously, it’s incredibly upsetting and concerning that people would attack an animal, and we are keen to hear from anyone who may have heard anything about this attack, or seen any suspicious activity in this area.”
Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to injure or kill protected native wildlife like sea lions and anyone who does so can face punishments of up to two years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
New Zealand sea lions are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world, and are only found in Aotearoa.
