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Miracle seagull shot by attackers SURVIVES despite having dart lodged in its head
'Sad sight': The seagull 'seems absolutely normal' despite having been shot through the head with a dart
CALLOUS attackers left this seagull with a dart in its head in Scarborough's Old Town. It is not the only seagull that has been shot. Another was left with an injured wing.
The horrific incidents happened in Burr Bank, off Sandgate. Both seagulls are still alive.
One of the distressed birds was found by Graham Rhodes, of Castlegate, who was left shocked after finding the seagull with the object still lodged in its head.
He said he was worried the attacks could herald an increase of violence in the town and believed the weapon could be a bolt from a crossbow. Mr Rhodes, who runs the Aakschipper Gallery, on West Pier, said: "My main worry is that there is someone walking the streets of Scarborough with a crossbow and shooting at birds.
"If they are shooting at gulls in the sky and miss, the bolts have to go somewhere and could take someone's eye out.
"It is incredibly hard to believe that the bird is still flying with a bolt in its head because you would think the weight of the object would restrict its movement. However the bird seems absolutely normal. The gulls are coming up to the breeding season and I always see this one with its mate when I walk my dog in the area. It is such a sad sight."
The incidents follow the introduction of two harrier hawks to clear gulls from the town's Grand Hotel, but Geoff Edmond, RSPCA inspector for the Scarborough area, said:
"It is absolutely appalling and completely illegal to be shooting birds in this manner. It is remarkable that the gull with the bolt in its head is still flying because the object could have hit the brain or fractured its skull."
He has tried to catch the gull.
'Incredible': The seagull is still managing to fly despite the weight of the dart in its head
Anyone with information about the attacks can contact the RSPCA Cruelty line on 0300 1234999.
'Sad sight': The seagull 'seems absolutely normal' despite having been shot through the head with a dart
CALLOUS attackers left this seagull with a dart in its head in Scarborough's Old Town. It is not the only seagull that has been shot. Another was left with an injured wing.
The horrific incidents happened in Burr Bank, off Sandgate. Both seagulls are still alive.
One of the distressed birds was found by Graham Rhodes, of Castlegate, who was left shocked after finding the seagull with the object still lodged in its head.
He said he was worried the attacks could herald an increase of violence in the town and believed the weapon could be a bolt from a crossbow. Mr Rhodes, who runs the Aakschipper Gallery, on West Pier, said: "My main worry is that there is someone walking the streets of Scarborough with a crossbow and shooting at birds.
"If they are shooting at gulls in the sky and miss, the bolts have to go somewhere and could take someone's eye out.
"It is incredibly hard to believe that the bird is still flying with a bolt in its head because you would think the weight of the object would restrict its movement. However the bird seems absolutely normal. The gulls are coming up to the breeding season and I always see this one with its mate when I walk my dog in the area. It is such a sad sight."
The incidents follow the introduction of two harrier hawks to clear gulls from the town's Grand Hotel, but Geoff Edmond, RSPCA inspector for the Scarborough area, said:
"It is absolutely appalling and completely illegal to be shooting birds in this manner. It is remarkable that the gull with the bolt in its head is still flying because the object could have hit the brain or fractured its skull."
He has tried to catch the gull.
'Incredible': The seagull is still managing to fly despite the weight of the dart in its head
Anyone with information about the attacks can contact the RSPCA Cruelty line on 0300 1234999.
