Police suspect stone-throwing teens may have killed ducklings in Metheringham

Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Crime Action team highlighted the incident yesterday, after they received a report of mallard ducklings being killed at the Shiregate duck pond in Metheringham, possibly by teenagers throwing stones at them.

A spokesman for the team, which tackles wildlife crime, said: “Not only is this cruel and upsetting for families who enjoy seeing them, it is also illegal.”

They stated that Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act provides protection for wild birds, their nests and eggs. It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird.

However they added that the deaths could also be a result of another duck attacking the ducklings “as nature can be cruel”.