KEY POINTS:
Police and the Department of Conservation (DOC) are appealing for information that will help them catch the sadists who stapled two kea to a road sign in Arthur's Pass.
Members of the public spotted the birds about 10km outside of Arthur's Pass National Park three days ago.
Post mortem results, expected next week, will reveal how the birds died and whether they were dead before they were stapled to the sign.
DOC communication relations officer Sarah Mankelow told NZPA they were relying on people who knew anything about the incident to come forward.
Native birds were not usually targeted and this case had left locals "pretty upset", she said.
"We've had a few black billed gulls found in riverbeds but we think that's a case of mistaken identity (with seagulls). Most people are aware of kea being a fun loving bird, but this was quite a deliberate act.
"Even if they didn't kill them, stapling them to the road sign is horrific."
Ms Mankelow said she had "no idea" why someone would have stapled the birds.
"If they were trying to say something it's in a foreign language."
Rare birds are protected under the Wildlife Act.
Harming kea carries a maximum penalty of $100,000 or six months in prison.
There are only 3000 kea left in the world.
- NZPA
