WARNING: This story contains graphic images.
Native animals are falling victim to an assailant with a bow and arrow on the New South Wales Central Coast, with local police and the RSPCA calling on the public to come forward with information.
In a shocking case of animal cruelty, a joey was found at a Wyee Point playground in January with an arrow shot through its head. Days later a kangaroo was found nearby with an arrow shot through its chest.
Both animals were found alive but did not survive the attack.
The joey died before an RSPCA inspector arrived at the scene and the kangaroo was euthanised by a local vet who discovered its injuries were days old.
A joey was the first victim found in the shocking animal cruelty case.
A goanna was found hours later with an arrow shot through its body. The reptile is now in the hands of a wildlife foster carer, miraculously surviving the injuries.
RSPCA NSW Inspector Graeme Dymond, who is handling the case, told The Huffington Post Australia the public was horrified by the attacks, with locals at the scene hiding the injured joey from their children's sight.
"I've been doing the job for 23 years, and this is as low as it gets," Dymond told HuffPost Australia.
"The joey would have just been innocently standing there.. everybody is disgusted. There is just no excuse."
The injured goanna found by a NSW resident on the Central Coast
The arrows killing both the joey and kangaroo are different types, but Dymond suspects the cases are connected, with the attackers likely to be residents who received bow and arrow sets in their Christmas stockings.
The last bow and arrow attack on an animal in the area was in August, claiming the life of a kangaroo.
Anyone with information should contact RSPCA NSW on (02) 9770 7555 or call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.