Man charged after sea lion shot

A sea lion mother Joy relaxes with her pup Rua near the Warrington domain months before Rua was found shot dead in November last year. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
A sea lion mother Joy relaxes with her pup Rua near the Warrington domain months before Rua was found shot dead in November last year. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

A man has been arrested by police after a sea lion was shot dead in Dunedin.

Police said the 52-year-old man has been charged with wilful mistreatment of an animal, under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

The body of 11-month-old female sea lion Rua was found by Doc near Quarantine Point, north of the Portobello Marine Aquarium on November 6 last year.

A member of the public had reported seeing the lifeless animal to Doc.

Doc Coastal Otago ranger Jim Fyfe said the sea lion's death was "devastating''.

The New Zealand sea lion - population about 10,000 - is on the highly critical list.

Shot sea lion pup Rua was just one of 11 sea lion pups born on the Otago Peninsula last year.

Last year New Zealand Sea Lion Trust trustee Amelia Saxby condemned the killing.

"We hope those who carried out this reprehensible act are found and face the harshest penalty.''

"The arrest is the result of a joint investigation between Dunedin Police, the Department of Conservation and the Dunedin Sea Lion Trust," police said.

He is scheduled to appear in Dunedin District Court on Friday 3 March 2017.

 

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