Police hunt underway after kea found stapled to road sign

Police are hunting sadists after two kea were found stapled to a road sign in Arthur's Pass. Department of Conservation communication relations officer Sarah Mankelow said members of the public spotted the dead birds about 10km outside Arthur's Pass National Park two days ago. "It seems like a pretty horrific thing to do.

Kea are a protected species, it's hard for me to understand what would motivate someone to do that," she said. The rare birds are protected under the Wildlife Act. Harming kea carries a maximum penalty of $100,000 or six months in prison.