The NZ Sea Lion Trust said in a statement the reward, now at $55,000, being offered by the trust was set to expire at the end of December this year for the shooting of Jade, a female sea lion, and her pup, late last year, and the death of a third female sea lion in the Catlins, also last year.
The third sea lion was confirmed by the Department of Conservation to have suffered wounds "most consistent with a human-induced stabbing" in November last year. Prosecutions must be brought within 12 months of an offence being committed.
The trust said in a statement the reward could now also be claimed for the Waitaki shootings and would remain open until August 31 next year in respect of those three killings. Three sea lions were shot near the Waitaki River mouth on August 9 this year.
Trust co-chairman Shaun McConkey said he hoped the reward would lead to some progress in Waitaki.
The Catlins had something of an anti-sea lion sentiment but someone would come forward if they could, he said. There was no real crime scene in the Catlins incidents, making it more difficult for police.
"Whereas the Waitaki shootings, the police were called and they were able to do a scene examination. So I think they had some fairly strong leads to follow. But unfortunately, it hasn’t eventuated in anything," he said.
"So we’re just hoping that maybe someone who knows something will come forward and that’ll be enough for the police to pick up those leads and follow them again."
Police said yesterday there were no new leads in the Waitaki case.
The sea lion trust originally offered a $5000 reward for information about the Catlins shootings in September last year. Support from Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance and donations from community members allowed it to raise the reward to $12,000.
An anonymous benefactor then provided further financial support to take the reward to $50,000. A recent additional pledge from the Otago Shore and Land Trust has now increased the reward to a total of $55,000.
The trust said it would not extend the reward to further incidents of violence against sea lions and the reward would not be paid out to perpetrators of the offences or their accomplices.
