Seabirds found killed on Waldronville beach

A dying black-backed gull. Photo: Bird Rescue Dunedin

Wildlife volunteers are dismayed at another apparent vehicle incident involving seabirds in the Dunedin area.

Dead karoro/black-backed gull and korora/little blue penguin. Photo: Bird Rescue Dunedin

Three dead or fatally injured birds have been recovered from Waldronville beach, in an area with traces of vehicle tyre tracks and recent fires.

"We received a call to help an injured black-backed gull at Waldronville beach," Sue Cook, of Bird Rescue Dunedin told ODT Online.

"On arrival our volunteer Catherine Derks found a dying gull, one already deceased and a deceased little blue penguin, with tell-tale signs of quad bike tracks all around and remains of campfires nearby."

The bird deaths follow a recent incident at Taiaroa Head, where about 30 protected red-billed gulls were killed and Otago Peninsula Trust staff gave police CCTV footage of two cars and a quad bike in the Royal Albatross Centre car park.

- By Peter Dowden

1 Comment

Comments

Loulou Sun, 14/02/2021 - 9:17pm #

Prison for these selfish, violent lowlifes. They are murdering and tormenting taonga for cheap adrenalin thrills. No doubt these perpetrators are "underage" or early twenties so will be given "a chance" and no real repercussions. What a cruel joke our justice system is. Don't let them away with this. It is blatant evidence that these perpetrators lack empathy and skills to be part of society. Harming animals for pleasure is a very dark personality trait that signals other future violent crimes. How dare they?! Shame on them and their selfish, cruel violence. People out there will know who they are. Time for proper justice, not slaps on wrists that they and friends will laugh at as a badge of honour. Proper, hard justice -- or others will copycat. Sick of these brain cell-deprived losers who cause death for laughs, and get away with it. The law needs to change to value animals far, far more.