Ngarrindjeri elder under investigation for culling seals in the Coorong

THE Environment Department is investigating Ngarrindjeri elder Darrell Sumner over his culling of seals.

SA Weekend- Seals in the Coorong, Meningie. Zanes nets being attacked by seals near Goolwa. Picture by Matt Turner.

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THE Environment Department is investigating Ngarrindjeri elder Darrell Sumner over his culling of seals.

Mr Sumner, who has lived in the Coorong most of his life, is incensed at the killing of pelicans by aggressive long-nosed fur seals who have infested the Coorong and are causing havoc to the environment and fishing industry.

Mr Sumner has admitted killing four seals, running over two and clubbing two more.

“I just want to get rid of them,” he said. “As sick as that makes me, that’s what I’ll keep doing.”

The gored and mutilated bodies of pelicans — the totem of the local Ngarrindjeri — can be found lying on rocks at the barrages and around the Coorong where they compete with the seals for fish.

Ngarrindjeri elder Darrell Sumner at the Coorong. Picture: Matt Turner.

The Save Mr Percival Facebook page contains distressing images of starving pelicans unable to catch food because their beaks were broken.

After a story was published in SA Weekend, an animal welfare inspector from the Department contacted The Advertiser requesting information about Mr Sumner. This was declined.

The department is now requiring information under Section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act 1985, compelling Advertiser journalist Penny Debelle to be interviewed and to produce documents and recordings of an interview with Mr Sumner.

A meeting between Debelle, The Advertiser’s legal representatives and the department is scheduled for next week.

Mr Sumner had previously been contacted by the department and asked to come in for an interview but he refused.

Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick said an argument with the Ngarrindjeri over their right to protect pelicans could go as far as the High Court, with the South Australian taxpayer footing the bill.

“If he can’t fund his case, I’m sure his case will get funded,” Mr Pederick said.

He said the Government should be seeking ways to urgently fix the situation in the Coorong, Lakes and lower sections of the River Murray, not pursuing a Ngarrindjeri elder.

“Instead, it sounds like their idea is to make a scapegoat out of one person no matter what it costs,” he said.

“I can see hundreds and thousands of dollars, potentially more, going into attacking one man who has had the courage to stand up and say exactly what he has been doing.”

Mr Pederick three years ago raised the seal problem in State Parliament and called for all responses be considered, including a seal cull.

“I’m a bit gobsmacked,” he said. “The issue with Minister (Ian) Hunter is that he has put a mark in the sand and said he’s not going to move, that is to cull seals as part of a management program.

“I think he’s put himself in a non-negotiable position which is ridiculous. Everyone can see what’s going on out in the community.”