100 protected gulls shot dead

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has condemned the massacre of more than 100 rare gulls found dead in Southland.

The black-billed gulls were found dead, most of them shot, beside the Aparima River at Wreys Bush, 60km north west of Invercargill, on November 24.

Department of Conservation (DOC) Murihiku biodiversity programme manager Jessyca Bernard said some of the dead birds were sent to Massey University for an autopsy, and the results were "pretty clear" - they had been killed by shotgun pellets.

She said she did not know what would motivate someone to do this - "idiocy, boredom, don't know the value of things".

There were 90,000 of the gulls in the world, all found in New Zealand, and mostly in Southland, she said.

There were between 1000 and 1500 of the birds in this particular colony.

"Someone's gone in there and wiped out 10 per cent of that colonisation."

It is estimated the Southland population will decline by 50 to 70 per cent in the next 10 years because of predators, riverbed movement and weeds.

"A couple of acts [like this] and you have got them going on the endangered list," Ms Bernard said.

The black-billed gulls are protected under the Wildlife Act.

"It's taken quite seriously, they are quite unique."

Anyone caught injuring, harassing or disturbing the birds could face a $100,000 fine, plus $5000 per animal killed and up to six months in jail.

She said DOC was not hopeful of finding the offender.

The killings come after the brutal slaughter of 25 protected fur seals in Kaikoura earlier this month.

The offenders remain at large.

- NZPA