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The shooting of fur seals on a Marlborough beach has angered wildlife advocates and prompted a Government call for action.
Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick said it was her worst fear that the seals had been shot dead, as bullet wounds found on some of the animals indicate, and she urged anyone with information to come forward.
Fifteen seals were found dead 20m to 30m above the high-tide mark at Needle Point on the South Island's east coast, near the town of Ward.
They were discovered by locals. It appeared the seals had died over a period of months. The most recently killed had been found in pools of blood with bullet wounds in their skulls, said Department of Conservation ranger Mike Morrissey. Others were too decomposed to show the cause of death, but natural causes had been ruled out.
"There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for it, really," Mr Morrissey said.
"It's concerning to DoC and to the locals as well. If we could establish who has done this, then the department would obviously be very keen to prosecute them."
The fur seal is not a threatened species, but it is protected and its numbers are a far cry from past generations. Often only about a dozen are seen in the area where the deaths occurred.
"Some of the seals are big mature bulls and the others might be only a couple of years old," Mr Morrissey said.
Forest and Bird conservation advocate Kirstie Knowles said the seal killers had shown "a clear disregard and disrespect for the animals and themselves as New Zealanders". Marine mammals like seals were a huge drawcard for tourists.
It is an offence to kill or harm marine mammals, with penalties of up to six months' jail or a fine of up to $250,000.
