Man could face jail after 'shooting four magpies dead'
Four magpies were shot dead and two wounded by a Victorian man, state investigators will allege in court.
The 56-year-old faces 21 charges under the Wildlife Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act after being accused of killing the animals at a property in Mildura, a Murray River agriculture region.
Magpies are a protected species in Victoria and it is illegal to injure or kill them without an appropriate license to do so. When wildlife is believed to pose a threat to human safety, or is suspected to be damaging property, farmland or the environment, property owners can apply for an Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) permit.
The alleged incident is believed to have occurred in June 2021, and it was investigated by the Conservation Regulator, an arm of the department of environment (DELWP).
The accused is due to face Mildura Magistrates Court on 24 January 2023 and until then details of the allegations are likely to remain scarce. People convicted of animal cruelty offences in Victoria can be hit with fines of $92,460 or up to two years' imprisonment.
Harming magpies is 'cruel and illegal'
A spokesperson for the Conservation Regulator issued a statement urging Victorians to report incidents of suspected animal cruelty to authorities.
“The magpie is an iconic species in Australia and it was disappointing to find these birds injured and killed during our investigation,” they said.
“Harming and killing wildlife is not only cruel, but also illegal. We urge Victorians to report any information about wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers.”
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