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Celebrity protection, an online petition and a weekend of outrage on social media - it's been a busy weekend in the life of Gulliver the seagull - but all apparently to no avail. It turns out there were no plans to kill him, after all.
Jersey's Environment Minister has rubbished reports in the media over the weekend that the troublesome St. Ouen gull is to be put down, to stop him troubling islanders taking a walk on the beach.
The seagull, who is believed to have been hand-reared, has flown into people and dogs walking on the beach many times, scaring some Islanders who thought he was attacking them.
After a news report on Saturday that he was to be killed, many Islanders shared their outrage on social media.
One woman wrote on Jersey Wildlife's Facebook page: "I’m bloody furious about this. He’s in his own habitat!! So many people moaned about it I knew it was a matter of time. So angry. I love seeing him it makes my day." Another replied: " I'm so upset about this too. If people don't like it walk somewhere else it is a huge beach and like you say killing birds in their own habitat questionable!"
Many Islanders also questioned how a bird belonging to a protected species could be killed, with one even pointing out the irony of the situation given that St. Ouen's beach is located seconds away from the Wetland Centre.
Others, however, shared stories of not so friendly encounters with Gulliver. A woman wrote: "This gull hit me in the head 5 times ‘wanting to play’ and it hurt. I’m fairly solid and if it had gone for a child or an elderly person it could cause someone a serious injury."
After hearing the news, Julie Wilton decided to act and launched a petition to save Gulliver, which gathered over 1,200 signatures in just 24 hours. She wrote: "The island's friendly seagull is going to be shot, is there anyone who can stop this happening? If you have not heard about this bird yet, he was hand reared and released, he swoops down for human attention, he is not scared of dogs or people.
"He lives at La Saline beach in St. Ouen, he doesn’t come inland but some people think he should be killed because they are scared of him when they walk into his territory, he has learned to trust people and now they want to kill him because he steels their hats or dogs ball."
Celebrity naturalist Chris Packham also showed support for the seagull, asking the States on Twitter why they were, "...even considering killing an amber-listed bird, because it’s an ‘inconvenience’?" He added: "In this mad 21stC how you consider a gull ‘dangerous’ is beyond me. Life matters. Save not slaughter it."
Hello @StatesofJersey - can I ask why you are even considering killing an amber listed bird because it’s an ‘inconvenience’ ? In this mad 21stC how you consider a gull ‘dangerous’ is beyond me . Life matters . Save not slaughter it . RT https://t.co/rzyfncdGmQ
— Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) December 16, 2017
Hello everyone . I don’t thing Gulliver should die . And I definitely don’t think he’s dangerous . Maybe a free roaming Tyrannosaur on Jersey would put things in perspective ? Please join me in thwarting this ignorant intolerance . RT . https://t.co/rzyfncdGmQ
— Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) December 16, 2017
Following the public outcry, the States posted on their social media pages to reassure Islanders that no decision had been made regarding Gulliver, but that killing him wasn't not an option.
Their post read: "The Environment Minister would like to make it clear that no official decision has been taken over 'Gulliver' the seagull at St Ouen’s Bay. Deputy Steve Luce says: “No action will be taken until I have been given a full briefing, but we will certainly not be killing the seagull.”
Deputy Luce will be discussing this issue with Environment Department officers on Monday."
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