$20k reward offered in seal killing case

DoC's Phil Bradfield. Photo / DoC

The Department of Conservation (DOC) says it is yet to receive any "concrete" information on who carried out the brutal clubbing to death of 23 fur seals near Kaikoura, but can now offer a $20,000 reward.

The public has given over $20,000 to DOC to put up as a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the marine-mammal massacre.

ONE News reports that DoC will release the exact reward figure over the coming days.

The bodies of the slaughtered seals, including some newborn pups, were found late last week at the Ohau Point seal colony north of Kaikoura.

DOC South Marlborough area manager Dave Hayes told NZPA today that DOC and the police were following up leads from the public today but had so far received nothing "concrete".

"As yet we have got nothing concrete that points in anyone's particular direction, but I'm still confident that some of this information will lead us [to the offender(s)" Mr Hayes said.

The information received so far was mainly from people who had visited the colony over the past two weeks or people who had heard "second hand" information about the attacks.

"There's more information that we need, so if you know anything or have heard anything then please get in touch," Mr Hayes said.

The amount of support that the public had given DOC over the last two days was "heartening", he said.

"The silver lining in it is the way that the majority of the public have come out and said that `we really value seals highly'."

He said DOC had received a number of calls from people offering money for a reward, which they would likely announce in the next couple of days.

Matt Chambers, manager of the 23-year-old tourism venture Seal Swim Kaikoura, told NZPA the massacre was the sort of incident that could lead to the point being blocked off to the public.

"If somebody is stupid enough to do this they are going to be stupid enough to open their mouths."

Mr Hayes said any ban would be very hard to enforce and would be unfortunate for legitimate visitors.

"It would be unfortunate if restrictions came into place just because of the actions of a few stupid people," he said.

A person can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to $250,000 for killing or harming fur seals or other marine mammals.

In July Kaikoura's Hayden John Ingram, 17, was fined $500 and sentenced to 200 hours' community work for shooting a seal with a paintball gun, bashing it with a metal bar and running over a seal pup, killing both.

In 2005 current All Black Andrew Hore was one of three men each fined $3500 for shooting at seals on the Otago coast and killing one.

The lobby group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is offering up to $2500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

- NZPA