WELLINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- A man's behavior of harassing a seal pup is inexcusable and will bear consequences for the offender, according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) on Tuesday.
A video shared on social media showing the man harassing a seal pup on a New Zealand beach is under investigation by the DOC.
The video shows a man in a wetsuit grabbing the young seal by the scruff of its neck and putting it into a bag.
It is an offense under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 to disturb, harass, harm, injure, or kill a seal, said DOC Principal Investigation Officer Matt Davis.
"The video is quite distressing, showing someone handling a juvenile seal very roughly and possibly injuring the animal," Davis said, adding the DOC has a range of enforcement tools available for the punishment of wildlife crimes, including fines, infringements, or prosecution through the courts which can lead to a jail sentence.
The penalties for harassing, disturbing, injuring, or killing a marine mammal under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 are a maximum of two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 250,000 New Zealand dollars (about 146,304 U.S. dollars).
"Although we don't yet know the full circumstances of the incident the video shows, there is no excuse for treating a seal like this," Davis said.
The DOC has called on the public to report anyone disturbing fur seals through an emergency hotline, and advised people never touch or handle a seal.
"People should keep a distance of at least 20 meters from seals, if possible, and not get between the seal and the sea," the department said in a statement.
All seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales are protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978. ■
