Decapitated seals, penguin, shark, birds shock New Zealand: ‘grotesque and barbaric’

In one incident, a group filmed themselves riding a dead great white shark being towed behind a vehicle, before one of them wore its severed head

The decapitations are the result of human actions, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation said, and were not caused by another species

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Seal pups. In addition to the incident involving a shark, two fur seals were beheaded, a penguin was decapitated and several migrant shorebirds had their heads removed and bodies abandoned on a New Zealand beach. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:34pm, 11 Sep 2023Updated: 2:59pm, 11 Sep 2023

A spate of incidents involving the decapitation of protected New Zealand native animals has “shocked and horrified” the country, its Department of Conservation said on Monday.

In one incident at Auckland’s Muriwai beach, a group of people filmed themselves riding a dead great white shark being towed behind a vehicle, before the animal’s severed head was worn by one of the individuals involved.

The government agency said two people had been issued with infringement notices after footage of the incident appeared on social media.

Other incidents included the beheading of two fur seals, a decapitated penguin and several migrant shorebirds with their heads removed and bodies abandoned on the beach.

It’s illegal to remove a protected species’ head to have it as some sort of trophy

Dylan Swain, New Zealand Department of Conservation

Department of Conservation investigations team leader Dylan Swain said the incidents were “grotesque and barbaric” and breached several of New Zealand’s laws.

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