People on social media have reacted with anger and sadness after a popular heron was found shot dead.
The ‘Kirkstall Heron’, as it was known, had been a popular feature of the area for the past 15 years. Its body was found shot in Burley Goit on Tuesday morning, sparking local anger on social networking site Twitter:
Our resident Kirkstall Heron was found shot dead near ready ateady store, 8am tues morn- appealing for all information -please spread widely pic.twitter.com/2zpp6dP6Rb
— Open Source Arts (@Opensourceleeds) February 23, 2017
This is incredibly distressing news. If anyone has any information regarding this, please get in touch. #Kirkstall https://t.co/3A2zVPK9xf
— Lucinda Yeadon (@Lucinday) February 23, 2017
Poor little fella, this is so sad. What kind of person would do this? Let's hope they find this sick, depraved, waste of air. https://t.co/5AjuIOJxlj
— Leeds Living (@leedsliving) February 23, 2017
Horrid. Hope they find and stop whoever did this. https://t.co/OegGSQFtX6
— Eleanor Rylance ❄️ (@EleanorRylance) February 23, 2017
Gutted to hear this, I see this beautiful bird most days on cycle commute. https://t.co/7YIRgH9R6W
— Andrew Byrom A169490 (@AndrewByrom1) February 23, 2017
@Lucinday That's awful. Often saw the heron when commuting on the towpath.
— T (@king__tubby) February 23, 2017
Distressing indeed- found on tuesday morning near ready steady store- anyone has seen anything please get in touch kirkstallregen@gmail.com https://t.co/KGXKqyqpmy
— Open Source Arts (@Opensourceleeds) February 23, 2017
@Opensourceleeds @JoMMickle Unbearable to think of the mind of the person responsible and the senseless loss of a magnificent bird's life.
— Rosalind Maud (@RosalindMaud) February 23, 2017
Police say the bird had been shot once by someone using an air rifle.
Anybody with information can contact PC Turner or PCSO Poole at Pudsey Police Station via 101, quoting crime number 13170082364.
Often see one just beyond Rodley where I have my little boat. Not usually mean spirited but I hope Karma does something truly horrific to the person who shot this defenceless bird.
A total disgrace who could do this so cruel I hope they catch the person who did this.
Good I hate Herons!
One of the animals I would like see go extinct!
I’ll tell you what’s fucking distressing. Watching these ‘beautiful’ birds snatching ducklings away from their mother and swallowing them whole.