The Department of Conservation says there’s “no excuse” for a recent spate of gull shootings in Dunedin. 

The department (DoC) issued a statement today condemning the shooting of two red-billed gulls/tarapūnga in Highcliff and North Dunedin and the shooting of a Southern black-backed gull found with a BB gun pellet lodged in its neck in Green Island. 

The shootings happened over the past two months and were only detected when the animals were taken to the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, DoC Coastal Otago operations manager Gabe Davies said. 

“There’s no excuse for this behaviour. 

“DoC staff are very concerned about these incidents — and any in which wildlife is deliberately harmed. 

“It’s thanks to the great work of the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital we are able to understand the cause of these and other injuries suffered by local wildlife. 

“It’s alarming to think injuries of this nature may not have been picked up on in the past.” 

Red-billed gulls were protected and despite their apparent abundance, the native species was in decline around New Zealand, he said. 

An X-ray of a red-billed gull with a BB gun pellet in its chest cavity. Photo / Dunedin Wildlife Hospital 

One red-billed gull was admitted to the wildife hospital with an apparent injury to its wing — it was in poor condition and was euthanised, he said. 

During post mortem the pellet was found to be embedded in the left lung. 

The gull also had aspergillosis infection, likely due to the stress and immunosuppression from the injury, he said. 

Another red-billed gull was admitted in October with a BB gun pellet injury. 

A black-backed gull was also found with a BB gun bullet in the neck, the injury suspected to be around two to three weeks old. Black-backed gulls were not protected, but wilful ill-treatment of a wild animal was a violation of the Animal Welfare Act, he said. 

Hunting or killing absolutely protected wildlife carries a maximum penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $100,000, or both. 

Davies urged people to report incidents to 0800 DOC HOT. “People are asked to record details of vehicles, descriptions of people, locations, species and when they saw the incident. We do not encourage people to intervene if they see an incident occurring – report it to us, or NZ Police.”