Tourists fined $10,000 for shooting a duck

A Danish tourist has been fined $10,000 for shooting a blue whio duck in South Westland, New Zealand.

According to Stuff, the incident occurred on the evening of March 9 when Rasmus Neilson, a 24-year-old tourist from Denmark, gathered with friends at the Waitangi Forest Reserve, South Westland, New Zealand. While Rasmus was shooting aimlessly about 100 meters in front of him, a blue duck suddenly flew by. He aimed and shot the animal dead.

The blue duck is a protected species in New Zealand. Photo: Stuff

Two local hunters heard the gunshots and discovered Rasmus had killed a blue duck, a protected species in New Zealand. The tourist apologized and dumped the animal in nearby bushes. The hunters later reported the incident to the Department of Conservation. During questioning, Rasmus said he had lost control of himself and admitted to hunting without a permit from the Department of Conservation.

At Rasmus’s trial, defense attorney Richard Maze said his client shot the green duck because he mistook it for a mallard. Rasmus failed to do a thorough inspection and acted in a moment of poor judgment due to poor lighting conditions.

However, Rasmus was still fined and prosecuted, totalling $10,000, and had all his hunting equipment confiscated. Judge Brian Callaghan also mentioned the decline in blue duck numbers in New Zealand, including in the South Westland region. The animal is also featured on the New Zealand $10 note.

According to VNexpress