Warning: This story contains images some may find distressing.
A wallaby roasted in an early-morning St Patrick’s day couch fire was brought down to Dunedin by students from further north, police say.
Police said they believed the wallaby was dead when it was burned.
The current whereabouts of the charred remains was unknown.
The couch fire was one of four so far to burn in Dunedin’s student quarter as St Patrick’s Day celebrations kicked off.
This morning, students all around the city woke up hours before daybreak to start their St Patrick’s day celebrations, which for most involved sinking "six before six" — drinking six alcoholic beverages before 6am.
When 6am hit, fireworks from flats around Dunedin were let off.
In the dark hours before sunrise, students got busy lighting couch fires — a tradition which was noticeably absent from O and Flo week earlier last month.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman confirmed the Willowbank station had been called to four couch fires in the student quarter.
When an Otago Daily Times photographer went to one of the couch fires, on the ground was a burnt — and dead — wallaby, which had been taken off the burning couch.
Animal welfare group SAFE head of campaigns Jessica Chambers said it was "deeply concerning" that students were engaging in such a disrespectful manner towards an animal.
"We expect Otago SPCA to investigate to see whether the wallaby was dead or alive before being set on fire.
"If the wallaby was already deceased when set alight, the fact remains that this is a highly disturbing and disrespectful way to treat any animal — Universities should hold their students accountable for such acts," she said.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said there had not been any arrests yet, but numerous students had been told to get down from roofs and asked to stop climbing over scaffolding.
Many had been seen by police launching bottles as projectiles.
"Police have been on since 6am and we'll be around the area throughout the day, focusing on the north end area," he said.
A second-year University of Otago student said her day so far had consisted of waking up at 4am, starting to drink her six before six, and when that was all finished, she started to crack into her wines.
"I did have some pieces of toast between this — food’s important," she said.
She said the experience was "miles better" than when she was a first-year last year, when she was not allowed in anywhere.
"I feel like we didn't have expectations for what today would be like, but it's been good, so fun."
The rest of her day would involve more drinking, then a stop for some lunch, before going to Lake House this afternoon.
Between all that, she said she would stop for the most important part of celebrating the day — having a tactical nap, a "tac nap," she said.
Logan Park High School assistant principal John Major sent an email out to parents of students warning them of "anti-social behaviour around the Logan Park High School/University area" today.
"In previous years we have seen groups of university students celebrating the day with alcohol and large gatherings. This has, at times, scared some of our students as they make their way to and from school," the email read.
The university proctor got in touch with the school to offer any support and organised a police presence throughout the day to monitor noise and behaviour.
