Seal clubbing toll rises to 25

The discovery the bodies of two more fur seals deliberately clubbed to death near Kaikoura raises the death toll to 25, while more pups die after losing their mothers.

The two seals found yesterday in the same area of the Ohau Point seal colony were apparently attacked at the same time as the 23 others found last week, Department of Conservation (DOC) South Marlborough area manager Dave Hayes said.

They had been missed originally because of the terrain made up of large boulders and deep crevasses.

An expert has put the total loss of seals at 49 as the 13 females clubbed would have led to the death of 13 dependent pups and 13 developing embryos.

Searchers had also found two pups believed to have starved to death, Mr Hayes told the Marlborough Express.

There were no concrete leads yet as to who was responsible, but people were calling DOC and Police with information that was helping to build a bigger picture of events, Mr Hayes said.

DOC was still deciding how to advertise a reward and handle the more than $14,000 offered, he said.

Penalties for killing or harming fur seals or other marine mammals include up to six months' jail or fines of up to $250,000.

- NZPA