Gardaí are investigating the killing of about 60 seals on the Blasket Islands off the Kerry coast.
The slaughter of the breeding grey seals, which are a protected species in European waters, has been described as horrific by the Irish Seal Sanctuary.
The organisation has also reported the matter to the Department of the Environment and the Wildlife Service.
Some of the animals had been bludgeoned to death. Others were found shot on the western side of Beginish Island in the Blaskets.
Kerry representative of the Irish Seal Sanctuary, Seán Eviston, who went to the scene, claims to have found about 60 seals shot and bludgeoned.
Among them were young pup seals less than three weeks old that would have been feeding from their mothers. Mr Eviston said parent seals have also been found slaughtered.
It is not the first time there has been such killing of seals on the Kerry coastline, but no one has ever been prosecuted for previous killings.
