A swan has died after being shot with ball bearings at Hendre Lake Park, a well-known fishing and birdwatching site in the St Mellons area of Cardiff, South Wales Police has confirmed. The force said it became aware of the bird's death following an incident at the park on Monday, and officers are now trying to identify those responsible.
According to a local newspaper report, the swan was hit in the head and neck and was found at the lake on Tuesday night before being taken to a veterinary surgery, where it was subsequently put to sleep.
South Wales Police said:
It is understood that the swan had been shot at with ball bearings.
The force said its local neighbourhood policing team is patrolling the area as part of efforts to trace those involved, and it is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Why is killing a swan against the law?
Killing a swan is a criminal offence in the UK because the species is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to intentionally injure, capture or kill a wild swan. The protection is tied to a tradition dating back to the 12th century, under which the British Monarch retains the right to claim ownership of unmarked, free-roaming native mute swans.
What kind of site is Hendre Lake Park?
Hendre Lake Park is a 58-hectare country park in Cardiff, according to a birdwatching site directory, and is recognised as a notable wetland habitat. The park, located at CF3 0RG, is home to mute swans, mallard ducks, tufted ducks, great crested grebes, black-headed gulls, moorhens, coots and kingfishers, according to the park's official website.
Has Cardiff seen similar bird-related concerns before?
Cardiff has previously dealt with investigations and public warnings over bird deaths at local water sites, including Hendre Lake, linked to avian flu concerns, according to a regional news outlet. Elsewhere, residents near Canvey Lake in Essex reported being devastated after a swan family died amid blue-green algae concerns and repeated wildlife losses, as detailed in our earlier coverage of that incident.
What happens next?
South Wales Police has not released a timeline for the investigation, but the neighbourhood policing team is continuing efforts to identify those involved, according to the force's official channels. No court date or further public update has yet been announced.
- A swan died after being shot with ball bearings at Hendre Lake Park, St Mellons, Cardiff, on Monday.
- The bird was reportedly struck in the head and neck and later put to sleep at a veterinary surgery.
- South Wales Police is patrolling the area and appealing for information to identify those responsible.
- Killing a wild swan is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
- Hendre Lake Park spans 58 hectares and supports a range of wetland bird species.
