On Tuesday last week, nature photographer Dag Norman Sværi was called – a herring gull had had its beak stripped again.
– When I heard the bird had been stripped, of course I went out to see what it was. I had to try to get hold of a ringer, because I knew they have equipment to catch the bird, says Sværi to Dagbladet.
The herring gull had then been observed at a feeding place for ducks in the center of Ålgård on Jæren. There it had tried to eat, but failed.
– It had been away and tried to grab food, without being able to get anything, says Sværi.
The lid in the trap
Newspaper Gjesdalbuen mentioned the case stock exchange.
He has extensive experience in photographing birds, and has been involved in ringing birds in the past. He knew that it is possible to catch birds in this way, and brought Gisle Oddane ring tags.
Ringing is a method where birds are ID-marked with a ring of light metal around the foot, in order to scientifically study the birds.
TWO STRIPS: Nebebt was well laced again. Photo: Dag Norman Sværi Show more
It took a few tries before they caught the bird, says Sværi.
– They are quite skeptical, especially if you miss the first attempt, he says.
In the end, they managed to lure the herring gull to step into the trap. Then they cut off the two strips that had been tied tightly around its beak.
– It was clearly very hungry. The first thing it did when it took off the strips was eat a piece of bread. A little later in the evening it was observed down by the feeding station where it was eating bread, says Sværi.
An “outrageous” video sets people on fire, and the incident has now been reported to the police. Video: Private. Reporter: Ørjan Ryland / Dagbladet Show more
– Deserves a slap
Svaeri adds:
– I never imagined that someone could come up with something like that.
He believes it is important that people become aware that this is not what you do.
MARKED: The herring gull was ringed when it was freed. Photo: Dag Norman Sværi Show more
– Perhaps the culprit has not been alone, and someone can let us know who it is. They deserved a little smack. It is a serious crime – animal cruelty, he says.
Conservator Alf Tore Mjøs at Museum Stavanger believes the herring gull has been without food for a long time.
– The herring gull has been wearing the strips for quite some time – perhaps for weeks. The gull was 490 grams when we caught it, but a normal weight for a herring gull is 900 grams. The bird was therefore down to 60 per cent of its normal weight, says Mjøs NRK.
He has no doubt that this is animal cruelty.
The animal protection organization Noah has reported the case.
2023-07-05 20:27:23
#Animal #cruelty
