A juvenile Greylag Goose is receiving treatment at a wildlife hospital after being shot through the neck with a crossbow bolt at a North Yorkshire water park.
An injured goose is recovering at a wildlife hospital after being found with a crossbow bolt lodged through the lower part of its neck, in an incident that rescuers believe was a deliberate act of animal cruelty.
The injured bird, which has been identified as a juvenile Greylag Goose, was rescued following a call on Thursday afternoon from a concerned member of staff at the North Yorkshire Water Park near Wykeham, where the animal was discovered.
Upon examination, animal rescuers from Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue found that the goose had sustained a serious injury caused by a bolt shot from a crossbow.
The projectile had passed completely through the lower part of the bird’s neck.
Because the young goose is not yet fully fledged, rescue workers believe the incident must have occurred at, or very close to, the location where the bird was found at the water park.
The deliberate targeting of a wild bird with a crossbow is a strict criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
The charity has warned that the attack raises significant concerns for both wildlife welfare and public safety in the area.
Dan Sidley, the founder of Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue who personally rescued the animal, said:
"We were shocked to discover the extent of this bird’s injuries. Deliberately inflicting suffering on a defenceless young wild animal is deeply disturbing, and something we find difficult to comprehend.
We hope this incident serves as a reminder that wildlife crime should be taken seriously, and we encourage anyone with information to come forward."
The incident has been formally reported to wildlife crime officers at North Yorkshire Police, who are currently investigating the matter.
The juvenile goose remains in the care of the wildlife charity’s base at Barlow near Selby, where the animal is receiving treatment for its injuries and continues to make a recovery.
Mr Sidley added:
"The apparent use of a crossbow in an area freely accessible to members of the public also presents a wider risk that clearly should not be ignored."
James Whitehead, Operations Manager at North Yorkshire Water Park said:
“North Yorkshire Water Park prides itself on supporting wildlife at the park and we pro-actively maintain the habitat for all wildlife. Our dedicated team were concerned about finding the injured bird and called for help immediately and we are glad the bird is in recovery.
Our thousands of visitors enjoy our attractions and respect the wildlife, so we are saddened by this incident. We are working fully with the authorities to investigate what happened. It goes without saying we will not tolerate any abuse of wildlife at the park."
Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue Hospital is urging anyone who may have information that may assist the ongoing investigation to contact North Yorkshire Police.
Members of the public can report information by calling 101 and quoting the incident number 03072026 – 0035.
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