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There are “numerous reports” of seagulls being shot along the north Wales coast, police say.

“It is illegal to deliberately kill, injure or take Gulls, except under licence,” said North Wales Police, following reported incidents in Denbighshire and Abergele.

“The use of an air rifle in these circumstances may also constitute a firearms offence,” the force said, adding that nets had also been destroyed.

Despite being regarded as a nuisance by some, gulls' numbers are in decline, and herring gulls – the species most commonly identified as a seagull – have been on a protected list since 2009.

Like all wild birds in the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which also makes it illegal to destroy their nests or steal their eggs.

A study published last year found that herring gulls were one of 11 groups that saw a drop in their population between 2002 and 2021.

The study found that more than 51,000 pairs of herring gulls nesting at natural sites – rather than towns and cities – were lost during the reporting period, accounting for a 41% fall in the population.

Rebecca Machin, from the animal charity RSPCA, said herring gulls in particular are a species of “conversation concern” in the UK.

“Sadly, many people have an unfavourable opinion of them and we know they can even be targeted – but these are intelligent animals who form strong social bonds with each other, and deserve to be treated with respect,” she said.