New Zealanders have been shocked after 23 young fur seals were clubbed to death at a popular tourist spot

Under New Zealand law, killing or harming protected creatures such as fur seals can lead to imprisonment and hefty fines Photo: ALAMY

By Paul Chapman in Wellington
06 Dec 2010

Kate Wilkinson, the Minister for Conservation, said she was "beyond appalled" at the attack, which took place at the Ohau Point seal colony near Kaikoura, on the east coast of the South island.

"This isn't just a random act of violence.

"To go around and club 23 seals to death over a number of days is very deliberate, and you have to question the state of mind of someone who can carry out such a cruel and abhorrent attack," Ms Wilkinson said.

She appealed for public help to catch the offenders.

"New Zealanders hate this sort of behaviour, and we need to send a message that we're not going to put up with it," she said.

The seal colony borders State Highway 1, a main road that skirts the coast, and is a favourite place for passers-by to pull into a car park and view the animals in the wild.

Dave Hayes, area manager for the Department of Conservation, said whoever killed the seals must have taken some kind of club with them, and would have left with blood-splattered clothes.
   "This is a callous and cowardly attack on seals, especially newborn pups, unable to defend themselves against someone striking them with a bat or similar club-like object," Mr Hayes said.

"The smashed skulls of several dead seals we examined suggest they may have died in one forceful blow to the head, indicating it was a person or persons of some strength who carried out the attacks."
   -- Mr Hayes said antagonism towards seals sometimes came from the misplaced belief they were competing for fish caught for human consumption.

Experts say the toll is likely to be much higher than the 23 dead seals found.
"Females at this time of year are most likely to have a pup, and these pups are totally dependent on their mother's milk for survival," said Dr Bruce Robertson, a senior zoology lecturer at the University of Otago.
"So if the mother is killed the pup will die.

"Also, females mate about a week after giving birth and hence have a developing embryo in the womb, which also would be killed."
    -- Winston Grey, the mayor of Kaikoura, where whale-watching tours attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, described the attack as "beyond belief".

Under New Zealand law, killing or harming protected creatures such as fur seals can lead to imprisonment and hefty fines.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/ newzealand/8183177/Fur-seal-cubs-clubbed-to-death-in-New-Zealand.html###