'Seagulls' or to give them their correct name, Herring Gulls, have long been a 'bone of contention' for many of our seaside town residents. The 'sea rat' as it is often un-lovingly known and it's nest, eggs and chicks are often persecuted due to the mess they make. We are currently investigating two incidents of nest and egg destruction in St Ives, where the Gulls were nesting on flat roofs. Both incidents were witnessed by members of the public who quite rightly reported it to the police. It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally destroy or disturb the nest, eggs or young of ANY bird and Herring Gulls are no exception. We have also had incidents of cruelty to chicks. Young birds, that had recently left the nest and were flightless, were ruthlessly kicked to death! Please report any incidents of Herring Gull persecution to the Wildlife Crimes Group by ringing 999 if the incident is in progress or alternatively on the non-emergency number 101.
