Slaughter on beach

VIV TROUNSON

Whoever shot up to 60 birds on Ripiro Beach could face massive fines.

Dargaville police are investigating and want to hear from anyone involved or with information concerning the slaughter.

Beach tour operator Anthony Taylor, who was taking four visitors down Ripiro Beach on March 8, says they came across several groups of dead seagulls, almost all on toheroa beds, between Mahuta Gap and Glinks.

"All up there were probably about 60. It was just senseless slaughter and I'm particularly concerned that they could have destroyed the toheroa if the bodies were left on the beds.

"I have been on the beach all my life and doing tours for 20 years but have previously only found the odd dead bird – nothing like this."

Mr Taylor and his passengers took some of the dead birds up into the dunes and it is understood that the Conservation Department also picked up some. He also collected spent shotgun shells.

Tracks on the beach suggested the shooters might have been riding trail bikes.

Mr Taylor says apart from the environmental effects the incident was not a good look.

"We are trying to get people to come here and this sort of thing won't help."

British visitor Carl Price was disappointed and shocked. "I didn't expect this in New Zealand and especially on an isolated beach," he says.

Mr Price previously worked in tourism and for four years operated a seasonal dive operation in a marine reserve on the South African coast.

"It's a similar coastline but I've never seen wanton destruction like this there."

He felt it was probably "hoons out for some fun".

Dargaville police want any information and are checking if the shot gulls are a protected species. If they are, the fines could be up to $100,000.

"At very least we'd like to know the circumstances," says senior sergeant Sue Leach, who described the shootings as stupid and potentially dangerous because people could have been in thedunes.

- © Fairfax NZ News