CARER RAGES AS EAGLES IN GUN

PROTECTED birds have been found with gunshot wounds, sparking outrage from a Townsville wildlife carer fighting to save them.

Bird of Prey Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release owner Deborah Carter said she’s fed up with people treating wedge tail eagles as a pest animal.

“This is the fourth eagle this year that’s been shot and it’s so frustrating because they’re not even killing them, they’re leaving them to suffer and die, which is so sadistic,” she said.

“I see them suffering with manky wings and maggots all through the wound because they’re dragging themselves around trying to survive. It just makes my blood boil and I’m horrified that people could be that inconsiderate to our native animals.”

Ms Carter said it would be some time before the latest injured bird ( pictured with her) could return to the wild, if at all, because of the extent of its injuries.

The rescue was thanks to a good Samaritan from Woodstock, south of Townsville, who called Ms Carter when he found the bird late last week.

“He had it in a massive big toolbox to try to protect it because of how badly injured it was,” she said.

“We couldn’t X-ray straight away because he was too weak but the bone was shattered.”

Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, the maximum fine for taking a protected animal without authorisation is $400,350.

Ms Carter blamed farmers trying to protect stock for the shootings.

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman said it was investigating.