Police arrest four youths over leopard seal shooting

Department of Conservation staff with the body of a leopard seal shot at point-blank range at Glinks Gully. Photo / LeopardSeals.org

Police have arrested four teenage boys who they believe shot a protected leopard seal near Dargaville, just as news emerged of a fur seal pup killed on Ninety Mile Beach.

Dargaville police have identified four youths, aged 15 and 16, who they believed were involved in the seal shooting at Glinks Gully on July 27. All four will be referred to Youth Aid.

The rare seal was shot at point-blank range with a shotgun and a rifle, sparking public outrage. Conservation group Sea Shepherd offered a $5000 reward for information leading to a prosecution.

A spokesman for Dargaville police said the shooting had been ''very upsetting'' for many people.

''Police carried out significant enquiries in relation to this matter and would like to take the opportunity to thank our community for the assistance they provided. We hope this serves as a notice that we will not tolerate this type of cruel and reckless behaviour.''

The Advocate understands a family member of one of the boys approached police last Friday.

Meanwhile, beach drivers are being urged to take care after a fur seal pup was killed when a car ran over its head.

The dead fur seal, with tyre tracks on either side, was found on Ninety Mile Beach, north of Waipapakauri Ramp, by Kaitaia woman Naomi Austen-Reid on Sunday morning. The volume of fresh blood convinced her the pup was alive when it was run over.

A live fur seal pup on Ninety Mile Beach photographed by Naomi Austen-Reid. Photos of the dead fur seal were too gruesome to be published. Photo / Naomi Austen-Reid

''It made me feel sick. I was upset more than anything, the anger came later. Who kills anything, especially a protected species?''

Austen-Reid contacted the Department of Conservation and local iwi Te Rarawa. The tide was coming in so she expected the remains would have been washed out to sea.

Initially she believed the seal's death had been deliberate but on reflection she suspected it was an accident.

The tyre tracks showed the vehicle hadn't swerved towards the seal and there were no footprints in the sand. If it was deliberate she would have expected the driver to get out and look at the damage.

She urged drivers to take care on the beach.

''Enjoy don't destroy ... People who speed on the beach need to be mindful. What if it was a dog or a small person, or a log? You'd wreck your vehicle.''

Austen-Reid said she often photographed fur seals on the beach, especially in winter when the pups came ashore to rest, but made sure she kept her distance to avoid disturbing them.

''They're part of our environment. They're really cute little creatures and I love them.''

DoC spokeswoman Abi Monteith said the department was saddened by the pup's death but keeping an open mind as to whether it was deliberate or an accident.

''We encourage people to be vigilant when using vehicles on beaches, especially at this time of year when we see large numbers of fur seals coming on land.''

New Zealand fur seals had been hunted to the brink of extinction but were now experiencing a comeback. Human activity remained their biggest threat.

Fur and leopard seals are protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Anyone caught harassing, disturbing, injuring or killing a seal faces a maximum of two years' jail or a fine of up to $250,000.

Call the DoC hotline, 0800 DOC HOT, if you find an injured marine mammal.