A benefactor, who wished to remain anonymous, has given permission for the New Zealand Sea Lion Trust (NZSLT) to raise the reward offered to $50,000.
The trust initially offered a $5000 reward after a sea lion pup was found dead from shotgun wounds in the Catlins area, on September 22 last year.
Two weeks later, Jade, the pup’s mother, was also found shot dead.
After a necropsy performed on a third dead sea lion, they found it may have been stabbed at Waipati Beach in November and left to die.
The necropsy, conducted at Massey University, found the sea lion had fractures to her left humerus and ninth thoracic vertebra, and the cause of the injuries was ‘‘most consistent with a human-induced stabbing’’.
Earlier this week, support from the Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance (Opera) and donations from community members allowed NZSLT to increase the reward from $5000 to $12,000.
Now that number has more than quadrupled.
in a statement, NZSLT said they were ‘incredibly grateful to receive the most recent financial assistance from our amazing benefactor’’.
‘‘These deaths have made it a very tough and emotional year for the Trust and all of the volunteers involved.
‘‘However, the positive side of this horrific situation has been the responses we have received. It has become clear to us, that there are many individuals and organisations in New Zealand that care deeply about our pakake and are as appalled as we are about these senseless deaths.’’
They hoped the new $50,000 reward would encourage anyone who had information to come forward.
‘‘These actions are reprehensible and the public are seeking justice.’’
NZSLT asks anyone with information relating to any of the three sea lion deaths to make contact at info@sealiontrust.org.nz
Any contact and information would be dealt in strictly confidentially.
- APL
