Wildlife rehabilitator Sabrina Luecht witnessed a young seal pup harassed by a young man on a 4WD quad bike in Hokitika. As a result, the seal pup had to be shot by DOC.

A seal pup removed from its mother and harassed by a member of the public has had to be shot.

Wildlife rehabilitator Sabrina Luecht​ rushed to Hokitika Spit about 2pm on Saturday, after tourists raised concerns about the treatment of a young fur seal pup.

Luecht said tourists witnessed a man driving at speed on a red 4WD quad bike along Hokitika beach, with a very young unweaned fur seal pup on the back of his vehicle.

ROBYN EDIE/FAIRFAX NZ A sea lion on the Waipapa Point beach, near the lighthouse. Department of Conservation was following up on three incidents in the Catlins in May where people had been disturbing sea lions.

The man proceeded to dump the seal at Hokitika Spit, before he sped off. The tourists found the young pup "lying on the ground with its flippers tucked under, which is a way to keep warm".

READ MORE:

* Department of Conservation investigating sea lion disturbances in the Catlins

* New Zealand's sea lion now endangered

* Sea lion mum and pup take up residence in Kaka Point crib

* Endangered sea lions die in protective nets

The harassment offence against the New Zealand fur seal, which are endemic, declining, and protected under the Wildlife Act, was punishable with a penalty of up to $10,000.

Luecht, armed with a towel and a crate, arrived at the Spit soon after the call, to locate the distressed pup.

She was led to the animal by a "lovely" Australian family who had stood guard over the lone pup until help arrived. The pup was "very distressed".

"Its eyes kept closing over because it was so exhausted … The pup was extremely stressed and hypothermic – an animal victim that could not possibly understand what the intentions of that human were."

The rehabilitator said pups on the beach meant the mother was foraging at sea and would soon return and in that case should be left alone.

"But in this instance, we do not know where the pup was displaced from, so could not return it to where its mother might resurface."

"This animal was harassed… Because of this incident there was no choice but to remove it from site and euthanise it, meaning DOC had to shoot it."

Department of Conservation duty officer Glen Newton said the incident was being treated as an investigation and therefore could not comment further.

"We are really disappointed that a member of the public has acted in this way. It's a sad ending for a seal pup to be treated that way."

Luecht said animal harassment was becoming more frequent, with fur seals, penguins, sea lions and sea gulls subject to ongoing mistreatment.

"People aren't giving them the space and respect they need," she said.

Earlier in June, DOC reportedly had to follow up on three incidents in the Catlins of people disturbing sea lions.

Cases included sea lions being chased and hit by cars, and dogs let off leashes.

"There is a real lack of respect for animals and we should be treasuring them," said Luecht.

Selfie-driven tourists were causing issues for baby seals at Ohau stream, north of Kaikoura, and in Lebanon, holidaymakers reportedly left a turtle for dead earlier in June, after they dragged it from the water for selfies.