Sydney, Dec 23 (IANS): An Australian man has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty offences after 98 kangaroos were found dead north of Sydney.

Police found the kangaroos dead on federal government-owned land in the town of Singleton, about 140 km north of Sydney in the east coast state of New South Wales (NSW), along with ammunition and two cartridges on October 8, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement issued on Monday, NSW Police said that a 43-year-old man has been charged with six crimes over the incident following an investigation.

The man was arrested during a raid on a property in Williamtown, almost 70 km east of Singleton, on Friday.

While executing a search warrant, NSW Police said that officers found and seized three firearms. A number of firearms were also seized from a second property in the area.

The man has been charged with six offences -- Committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal, discharging a firearm upon/over a Commonwealth prohibited area, trespassing onto commonwealth land, not keeping a firearm safely – not pistol/prohibited firearm, harm or attempt to harm a protected animal, and holder of Category A or B licence not have approved storage.

"Police have since seized a number of firearms from a second Hunter region property. A Firearms Suspension Notice has been issued.

The man was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday, January 13, 2025," NSW Police said in a statement.

Kangaroos are protected native animals in every Australian state and territory.

Anyone found guilty of harming a protected animal in NSW faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment for each offence.