Media Release
19 April 2012

Heartlessness at Oriental Bay

A Red-Billed Gull had to be euthanized at Wellington Zoo after it was found to have been shot.

The Vet team were horrified to find that the Red-Billed Gull had suffered from a shot wound that had irreparably damaged a wing joint, which is impossible to fix.

"If you look at the x-ray, you can see that the joint has just shattered," says Dr Lisa Argilla. "The shot wound is consistent with an airgun or pellet gun shot. A joint wound like this just won't heal, and the bird would have been in a lot of pain. We had no choice but to euthanize it."

The Red-Billed Gull had been found at Oriental Bay by a member of the community, and was whisked to The Nest Te Kohanga at Wellington Zoo for treatment. Oriental Bay is a popular spot for people and birds alike, and the team were disturbed that such activity was taking place.

The Red-Billed Gull is native to New Zealand, and the birds form pair bonds which endure across seasons.

"It's incredibly cruel to injure an animal in this way - just unthinkable," said Dr Argilla. "It's also illegal to harm our native birds, as they are protected under the Wildlife Act."

If anyone has seen any activity related to this incident, please contact Department of Conservation rangers on 0800 362 468.

Wellington Zoo is a charitable trust principally funded by the Wellington City Council

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