Latest news with #NewZealandSeaLionTrust
1News
12-07-2025
- 1News
Reward of $50,000 to find 'senseless' killers of three sea lions
A $50,000 reward is being offered for information on the killings of three sea lions in the Catlins region of Southland. The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust initially offered a $5000 for information leading to a conviction for those involved in the deaths, but an anonymous benefactor has allowed the reward to be increased. It was first offered for information on the shooting of Jade, a female sea lion, and her pup, in late 2024, but earlier this month it was extended to apply to the death of a third female sea lion. The Department of Conservation confirmed the pakake suffered wounds "most consistent with a human induced stabbing", which required her to be euthanised. NZSLT co-chairperson Bryony Alden said the trust was "incredibly grateful" for the recent financial assistance from the benefactor. ADVERTISEMENT "These deaths have made it a very tough and emotional year for the trust and all of the volunteers involved." However, she said it had become clear that there were many organisations and individuals that cared deeply about the sea lions and were appalled at the "senseless" deaths. Alden hoped the increased reward would encourage people to come forward with information leading to the prosecution of those who committed the crimes. "It sends a clear message to the perpetrators that New Zealanders do not tolerate intentional harm to native species. These actions are reprehensible and the public are seeking justice." The New Zealand sea lion was nationally endangered and was one of the rarest sea lions in the world. The deaths of the three females had set the population in the Catlins back by many years. Anyone with information on the killings should contact the Trust at info@
RNZ News
09-07-2025
- RNZ News
Hefty reward for information leading to sea lion killer in The Catlins
A baby female sea lion who was shot along with her mother in September, 2024. Photo: Giverny Forbes The reward for information leading to a conviction for the killing of a sea lion pup and its mother has been extended to include a third killing. It has been revealed a third sea lion killed in The Catlins last November was likely stabbed by a human. Now the reward for information leading to the killers convictions of either incident sits at $12,000, thanks to donations. A baby female sea lion was shot and left to die in The Catlins Estuary in the lower South Island in September last year. The following month the pup's mum, Jade, who was well known in region, was found shot dead. The third sea lion had to be euthanised in November after she was found badly injured at Waipati Beach. A post mortem has revealed the wounds are "most consistent with human induced stabbing". The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust announced that upon finding this information, it was extending the reward to include the third young female. The trust's Jordana Whyte told Checkpoint the attack on the third sea lion caused serious and violent injuries. "It was quite awful and very confronting for those who went to her aid. She was, it appears, that she was stabbed twice and the injuries were quite significant." She said while it is unclear where or why the attack occurred, there were a number of things that could have caused the incident. "I certainly can't understand, as a conservationist and sea lion advocate, why somebody would choose to do this, but we do hear things in the community about confrontations with sea lions, where people are feeling that sea lions are taking fish that belong to humans," Whyte said. "Or perhaps they've had an encounter with the sea lion that made the person afraid and their response to being afraid was to be angry." Whyte believes the deaths of Jade and her pup are connected, and while the pair were found at separate times, it is likely they were shot together. It remains unclear if the third killing has any relation. The area where she was found rarely receives visits from the public, meaning monitoring activity is difficult. "It was actually incredibly fortunate that, the sea lion, somebody came across her," Whyte said. "It can't be just us, and it can't just be DOC or police, it has to be the whole community effort to make sure that our coastlines are safe for sea lions." Whyte said losing three females in particular was a huge blow to the population. "This is a really, really slow growing species in terms of reproducing." She said the entire incident was awful for everyone involved, particularly the volunteers who put so much time and energy into the animals. "We're all volunteers at the trust to look after these animals and to have somebody to do that in such a violent way that allowed the animal to suffer was just awful." Anyone that has information about any of the three sea lion deaths is urged to reach out to the Sea Lion Trust, Police or the Department of Conservation. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Reward rises for information on sea lions
Failure to find those responsible for the death of three sea lions in the Catlins has led to the more than doubling of a reward for information. The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust (NZSLT) is hoping a $12,000 reward will lead to someone providing information, which may result in a conviction. "Someone must know who is responsible," NZSLT co-chairman Shaun McConkey said. The trust initially offered a $5000 reward after a sea lion pup was found dead from shotgun wounds in the Catlins area, on September 22 last year. Two weeks later, Jade, the pup's mother, was also found shot dead. Since then, support from the Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance (Opera) and donations from community members has allowed NZSLT to increase the reward to $12,000. A necropsy also found a third sea lion may have been stabbed at Waipati Beach in November and left to die. The necropsy, conducted at Massey University, found the sea lion had fractures to her left humerus and ninth thoracic vertebra, and the cause of the injuries was "most consistent with a human-induced stabbing". Department of Conservation rangers were notified about the wounded sea lion on November 11, but her injuries were so severe that she had to be euthanised. Mr McConkey said the $12,000 reward now also applied to the death of the third, unnamed female sea lion. He said the trust was "deeply distressed" by the third human-induced death of a female sea lion in the Catlins in just a few months. "The death of any female sea lion is devastating for the recovery of this nationally endangered species, which only started breeding again on mainland New Zealand 30 years ago. "These three deaths have set the Catlins population back many years," Mr McConkey said. An Opera spokesperson said the "senseless", "tragic" and "abhorrent" killings of Jade and her pup were unacceptable and heartbreaking reminders that humans often posed the most dangerous threat to New Zealand's vulnerable and endangered wildlife. "This crime must not go without consequences." Mr McConkey said the statute of limitations on any prosecutions under the Wildlife Act was one year. "We're getting close to nine months now, so there's a potential that we might run out of time." Given the incidents all happened in the same area, he believed they might be connected. "Clearly there's the same intent there. "At the trust, we believe they've all been deliberate killings of sea lions and so I would expect the same sort of attitude and potentially the same person. "We believe that someone will know something. "Obviously the perpetrator knows. We're hoping that someone else might know as well and that's the intention of the reward — to try and encourage people to do the right thing and to come forward." Mr McConkey urged anyone with information to make contact. "Any information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence." Since the reward had been offered, there had been no more incidents of harm to sea lions in the area, he said. "If nothing else, we hope that the high levels of disgust shown by people in responses to our posts, and the fact that at least $2000 of that reward money has come from the public, has discouraged this behaviour. "We hope that this level of support for sea lions pushes the message home that this sort of behaviour isn't OK and that most people are not going to accept it. "Hopefully, those responsible are much more aware that someone in the community is watching now."
Otago Daily Times
26-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Sea lion resurgence celebrated
From one to many . . . New Zealand Sea Lion Trust co-chairman Shaun McConkey (with his dog Olive) admires the statue of ''Mum'' at St Clair Esplanade which honours the first sea lion to give birth on the mainland in many decades. PHOTO: SAM HENDERSON Three decades after a pioneering female sea lion settled on the Otago coast, pups are now a familiar sight along local beaches. The dramatic resurgence of pakake (sea lions) in Dunedin is a refreshingly positive story given the losses suffered by other species over those decades. The conservation story of sea lions will be highlighted in the exhibit ''30 Years of Pakake: All Our Stories'', opening at Meridian Mall as part of the New Zealand International Science Festival. New Zealand Sea Lion Trust cochairman Shaun McConkey said the tale began in late 1993 when pup Katya was born to the only breeding female then present, simply known as ''Mum''. ''Mum was from the subantarctic, from the Auckland Islands and normally they will breed where they are born.'' Males had travelled roughly 300 nautical miles, about 600km, to the Otago mainland, drawn by a plentiful food supply. ''They would come up here and fatten themselves up.'' Occasionally females turned up, but they disappeared again, and there were no signs any would start breeding on the mainland. ''As soon as they start breeding then they are stuck here . . . looking after that pup . . .for almost a full year.'' For whatever reason, Mum travelled to the mainland, stayed and began breeding. That was the beginning of what is now a remarkable legacy. ''You are looking at over 250 pups now descended from Mum,'' Mr McConkey said. He began researching sea lions in the 1990s at the University of Otago. In 2003 he teamed up with wildlife tour operator Brian Templeton, student Helen McConnell and a supportive lawyer to found the trust. The trust has since grown to about two dozen trustees and advisers and about 50 active volunteers. They carry out photographic identification, monitor pups and educate the public. Current counts suggest there are about 40-50 breeding females and about 150 animals overall, ranging from Warrington to Taieri Mouth. The definition of a breeding colony is 35 pups born per year for five years in a row, which Otago has been getting very close to. This success brings fresh pressures. About one or two sea lion pups a year are killed by vehicles, and sea lions have also been shot or stabbed. Accidental problems associated with human interaction, including sea lions becoming entangled in fishing gear or caught in debris, are also a challenge. While many people are mindful of sea lions and contact the trust to report sightings, some interactions are less pleasant. ''Particularly this last season where we have had sea lions close to roads and signs have been put up getting people to slow down, there has been a number of occasions where people have ignored the signs. Then when volunteers have asked them to slow down, they have been abusive.'' Looking ahead, the trust expects more pups, greater public interest and more potential conflict. ''It just requires us to adjust our behaviour slightly so that, you know, we can share the space.'' -
