A reward for information regarding the shooting of two Catlins sea lions has more than doubled its initial amount.
The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust (NZSLT) has increased the reward it is offering for information leading to a conviction for the shooting of a young female pup, in light of evidence that the pup’s mother, Jade, had also been shot and killed.
The pup was found dead on September 23 in the Catlins estuary and the initial reward was $5000.
This increased to $6000 due to community donations after Jade was also found dead on October 8.
The trust announced yesterday the total reward had been increased to $11,000 thanks to the "extraordinarily generous support" from the Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance (Opera).
The alliance said the senseless killings were "heartbreaking reminders that humans often pose the most dangerous threat to New Zealand’s vulnerable and endangered wildlife."
