Hadedas shot dead with pellet gun in Amanzimtoti

The ghastly sight of three hadeda corpses laying on Hutchison Park was enough to bring a tear to any animal lover’s eye.  Three of the birds were found dead and a fourth was visibly injured with a shattered wing and a broken leg. The bird was gurgling blood. Due to the severity of its injuries, it had to be euthanised. It was a cruel and devastating fate for an innocent creature.

All of the birds were allegedly shot with pellet guns before dying. Not only is this a crime against nature, but it is also unlawful to kill them since they are a protected species. On Sunday, 7 March, Amanzimtoti’s depot for the Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow), Carlyn Hattingh, received a call from a concerned resident, Garren Kelly, regarding the hadedas. According to Kelly who was distraught at the sight of the birds, it was horrific.  “They don’t make the best of sounds, but for someone to actually kill them is truly disturbing.”

Hattingh said, “All three bodies had a single pellet wound leading right through the birds, breaking their wings, piercing their vital organs and exiting the other side. The fourth bird had a pellet wound to the throat. We are hoping that through an autopsy, the pellet will be found so we can learn more about the weapon used. We scooped all four of the birds up and placed the live hadeda in a carrier and rushed him through to Crow. Unfortunately, his wounds were so severe they had to euthanise him.”

Hattingh went back to the site that afternoon and found a hadeda skeleton that also had a broken wing.

“My husband also found pellet holes in the tree and surrounding rocks, we have a rough idea of the direction the birds were shot from. We believe they were shot while innocently foraging. They were either shot from Hutchison Road facing the pump house or the savage was hiding in the ditch near the rugby field and shooting towards the pump house.”

Hattingh opened a case at Amanzimtoti SAPS and encourages others to do the same if they find wildlife with gunshot wounds.

“It’s not just wildlife at risk, but the life of you, your child and your pets as they could be struck in the crossfire. We need to take this seriously, it’s cruelty, wastage, illegal and murder. I believe air rifles should be licensed like they used to be back in the day.  If an animal or person is shot, they can check their database and see who in that area owns a pellet gun. Shops are popping up everywhere selling these guns and it has become a free for all.”

She is awaiting CCTV footage from the area, but appeals to the community and businesses to check their cameras from the early hours of Sunday to 12pm. If you have any information regarding these four hadedas, CCTV footage or any leads, but are too afraid to come forward, send an email to secure.tipline@gmail.com.  There is also a reward of R1 000 for positive leads regarding the shootings.  If you spot wildlife in need, call Crow on 031-462-1127 between 7am to 5pm or 083-212-5281 between 5pm to 8pm. The organisation is opened seven days a week from 7am to 8pm.

ALSO READ: Young monkey euthanised following pellet gunshot

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