Protected leopard seal fired in the face as it stood on Northland Beach

This story was originally published in Newsroom.co.nz and is reissued with permission.

CAUTION: The video below in this story contains graphic content that can be scary.

He was shot while lying on a beach at Dargaville in Northland.

Stephen Soole, director of operations of the Kauri Coast Conservation Department, confirmed the shooting near Glinks Gully and believes that the gun was a rifle.

"We are beginning the first steps of our investigation which will involve the police. Today, the seal will be lifted from the beach with the intention of doing an autopsy. "

Seals are protected under the Wildlife Act and the Marine Mammals Act, and those who suffer from them are punishable by two years in jail. READ MORE:
* Rare leopard seal taxidermy unveiled at the Otago Museum
* Rare euthanized seal leopard
* Leopard seals more common in New Zealand than it was thought
* Antarctica leopard seal received a name as it makes Auckland its new home
* Tourist bitten by a seal in the Abel Tasman National Park

The seal was found by local Shane Searle, who took a video. Anyone would do that, especially when I saw them the day before and the leopard seal was majestic when sunbathing and doing no harm. "

When he went to check the next day, he had been shot in the face

the seals live mainly in Antarctica, but research shows Dr. Ingrid Visser, co-founder of the LeopardSeals.org research project, said at Newsroom: "The depravity of some people is so low that I can not imagine how they can sleep at night.

Why someone would attack an animal in this way is beyond understanding. can only hope that they will manifest or that someone in the community will come forward to report them. "

She said that in the past, events like this had general outcry.

music.We should celebrate when these animals visit our shores, not attack them.New Zealanders are compassionate people who care about our environment and it's far from being the case.

"I ask the public to help find out who committed this atrocious crime. "

Adult leopard seals have large heads and jaws. look like snakes, can grow up to three meters long and females weigh up to 500 kg.

Dr. Krista Hupman, co-founder of LeopardSeals.com and marine biologist at the NIWA, said: "It is alarming that some Leopard seal was neither ill nor injured and was in very bad shape. good health, as we have seen on images taken the day before. "

Seals are" vagrants "and may be in New Zealand, waters all year round." They are more common than people think in our waters and this time of year is the one where we have the greatest number of observations.We ask everyone to stay at least 20m from them. "

Visser adds:" they are protected by law, but common sense should Also avail – give them the space they need and do not harass them. "

Leopard sightings can be reported to 0800 LEOPARD, via www.leopardseals.org and on his Facebook page.

News Room