Seagull airgun shooting in North Wales seaside town sparks police probe
The NWP rural crime team said the seagull was discovered in the town's Maes Cwstennin area on the morning of July 4. The bird was examined by vets, who confirmed it had been shot by an air weapon.
A team spokesperson said: 'All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside act. Additionally, officers are concerned about an air weapon being used in a residential area, which could have injured members of the public or family pets as well.'
Herring gulls divide opinion in many seaside towns and on occasion they have been targeted by residents.
Last year the NWP rural crime team said they received 'numerous reports' of the illegal shooting of gulls.
Many of the incidents were on coastal parts of Denbighshire, along the Abergele /Pensarn area of Conwy. It is understood air rifles were used in the incidents – police warned this could constitute a firearms offence.
In June 2018, three gulls were feared shot dead with an air rifle in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.
In another notorious incident, a seagull was left wandering around the streets of Rhyl with a crossbow bolt sticking out from its head. Others, in Towyn, are thought to have been similarly targeted.
More recently, bird lovers have flagged another disturbing trend – people apparently scattering food across roads and filming gulls being run over.
Herring gulls are a species of conservation concern in the UK with populations in decline. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
The RSPCA has condemned the attacks, urging coastal communities to treat their wildlife 'with kindness'.
Anybody with information that could help the rural crime team with the latest seagull attack should contact the NWP website or call 101, quoting reference 25000552700.
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