Motorcyclist runs over sick seal in NZ
Tuesday Jan 16 12:00 AEDT
A hunt is on in New Zealand for a motorcyclist who deliberately ran over a sick seal, which later had to be put down.
Local woman Cheryle Blight told the Southland Times newspaper the seal was lying sick on a beach near Riverton, on New Zealand's South Island, on Saturday when a motorcyclist approached it, circled back, took a run up and ran over the mammal at speed.
"It wasn't as if you couldn't see (the seal). It was deliberately done," she said.
The motorcyclist rode away before he could be identified, leaving a tyre mark on the seal's back.
Department of Conservation duty officer Pete McClelland said the seal was already ill but had to be euthanased after the incident, which he described as "pretty sick".
Police have appealed for help to find the culprit, who could face a heavy fine under the Marine Mammals Protection Act.
Tuesday Jan 16 12:00 AEDT
A hunt is on in New Zealand for a motorcyclist who deliberately ran over a sick seal, which later had to be put down.
Local woman Cheryle Blight told the Southland Times newspaper the seal was lying sick on a beach near Riverton, on New Zealand's South Island, on Saturday when a motorcyclist approached it, circled back, took a run up and ran over the mammal at speed.
"It wasn't as if you couldn't see (the seal). It was deliberately done," she said.
The motorcyclist rode away before he could be identified, leaving a tyre mark on the seal's back.
Department of Conservation duty officer Pete McClelland said the seal was already ill but had to be euthanased after the incident, which he described as "pretty sick".
Police have appealed for help to find the culprit, who could face a heavy fine under the Marine Mammals Protection Act.