'Don't kill seagulls' police urge after reports of shootings near tourist hotspots
They swoop to steal ice cream and chips from unwary holidaymakers and occasionally gash them - but today police insisted: "Don't kill the seagulls."
The North Wales Police rural crime team said they "are currently receiving numerous reports of the illegal shooting of gulls in Denbighshire and Abergele coastal areas, as well as the deliberate act of destroying the nests when in use".
Areas where seagulls are often a problem include the busy holiday resorts of Rhyl and Llandudno.
The team pointed out that the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protected all wild birds, including gulls and their nests, eggs and chicks. They stressed : "It is illegal to deliberately kill, injure or take gulls except under licence. The use of an air rifle in these circumstances may also constitute a firearms offence”.
Mark Thomas, the RSPB head of investigations in the UK added : "It’s a criminal offence to intentionally kill, take or injure them or destroy their nests and/or eggs, and committing these types of offences could result in a significant fine or time in prison.
Anyone with information about the illegal shooting or harming of gulls should contact the police immediately on 101."
RSPCA scientific and policy officer Rebecca Machin said: “We should all want to live in communities where our wildlife is treated with kindness.
“Herring gulls in particular are a species of conservation concern in the UK and their populations are in decline. Sadly, many people have an unfavourable opinion of them and we know they can even be targeted - but these are intelligent animals who form strong social bonds with each other, and deserve to be treated with respect.
“As we mark our 200th birthday this summer we continue to urge everyone to rethink their relationship with all animals as part of our ‘For Every Kind’ campaign."
