A family of swans that were shot dead in Kent may have been killed due to their association with the Queen.
Two swans and five cygnets were found wrapped in plastic bags after they were thrown down the bank of a stream in Benenden, Kent.
All wild swans in England and Wales are owned by the Queen, and Stephen Knight of the Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, Middlesex, said that may have been why they were targeted.
Mr Knight told The Telegraph it is ‘not uncommon’ for the animals to be hunted.
He said: ‘The reason they pick on swans is because it is widely know that they belong to the Crown, so they are a symbol of the establishment.
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‘The kind of people who do this are faceless bullies that have got no moral compass.
‘Someone once posted a gag that was titled ‘how to upset the Queen’. It included a picture of a gun and swan, which was locked in a cage. After that we saw a little spike in shootings.’
X-rays revealed one of the birds was peppered with pellets, leading the RSPCA to believe they were killed in an air gun attack.
The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the attack described as ‘senseless’ by inspector Dave Grant.
He added: ‘It’s clear that these poor mute swans have been shot and killed deliberately – one of the birds was peppered with pellets.
‘It’s absolutely disgusting that someone would purposefully target and kill these beautiful birds, and it’s heartbreaking that an entire family has been wiped out in this cruel incident.’
Officers from Kent Police were called after the swans were found at about 10am on November 24.
Anyone with information about the incident or witnesses to suspicious behaviour in the area should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.
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