Driver's 'sick' roadside act leaves Aussie suburb rocked: 'Deliberate'
Authorities are investigating after a jogger witnessed a horrific "deliberate" act that killed 14 native birds and rocked a local community. A 4WD driver allegedly mounted the nature strip beside a busy road in Perth's north to mow down the flock of corellas that were feeding on the side of the road.
RSPCA WA told Yahoo there is an "open investigation" into the alleged incident which happened in North Beach, a coastal suburb in Perth on Sunday morning. Perth resident Tracey Smith, who reported the incident, said she stumbled across the devastating scene on her way to grab a coffee.
Tracey was forced to console the distressed woman who watched the killing unfold in front of her while running. Speaking to radio station 6PR, she described the incident as "deliberate".
"A 4WD went past [the runner] and up onto the verge," she explained, adding that it "ploughed through a group of birds that were eating on the side of the road on the verge," she said describing the act as "deliberate".
Of the 14 birds on the side of the road, 11 were killed at the scene and three had to be euthanised at the emergency vet surgery. Tyre marks from the vehicle can be seen in images of the distressing scene. Tracey said the tracks "went for a long way" because the birds were spread out along the road.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact RSPCA WA on 1300 278 358 or rspcawa.org.au and quote job number 207138," an RSPCA spokesperson told Yahoo.
Tracey said the runner was so "distraught" after witnessing the incident, she hugged her to console her. Unfortunately the woman wasn't able to get a number plate, so Tracey posted about the incident on social media in the hope of finding information, with people reacting in shock.
"Sickening and so sad to see this," responded one local resident. "I hope whoever did this is found and brought to justice."
"This is disgusting," said another. "I hope they get caught. Poor beautiful birds."
🚗 Sad roadside photo prompts warning to Aussie drivers
🦊 Confronting photo of roadside fence highlights 'cunning' killer🐜 Mum sounds alarm over deadly garden threat hiding in yards
While several corella species make Perth their home, not all of them are native to the area. The eastern long-billed corella and the eastern subspecies little corella are not native. Over the past 20 years, these species have expanded their range through much of the Perth metropolitan area and regional towns.
They are known to feed on grass seeds and grassy areas, which is why they would have been seen on the road's edge in North Beach.
Despite this, all fauna native to Australia is protected under both State and Commonwealth legislation, meaning it is an offence to deliberately harm them. In WA, a person can face five years imprisonment or up to $50,000 in fines if found guilty of animal cruelty.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Road rule warning to Aussies after driver cops $1,775 fine, 22 demerit points in one go
Drivers are being reminded of their responsibility to follow the myriad rules of the road after one L-plater copped $1,775 in fines and a whopping 22 demerit points in one hit this past weekend. NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol are holding the driver of a silver Saab convertible up as an example of what not to do after the male, who held a NSW Learner's class C licence, was caught doing 129km/h on the Hume Highway on Sunday. It was the car's speed in the 110km/h zone near Penrose which initially alerted officers in Mittagong Highway Patrol to the driver's wrongdoing, but the offences didn't stop there. The learner licence holder, who was not displaying yellow L plates on the front or the rear of the car, can only do a maximum speed of 90km/h, making his speed actually 39km over the limit. After being stopped at 4.15 pm, officers then spotted a mobile phone positioned near the steering wheel playing a music video on YouTube. "When questioned about this, the male swiped the screen to a map app and replied 'no, I'm not using it, just looking at the map'," officers said of the interaction. It is illegal for learner and provisional licence holders in NSW to use a phone for "any purpose", even for directions. 😳 Alarming breach of well-known road rule as 8,500 Aussies cop $395 fine 🐉 New Aussie road markings aimed at giving drivers a 'sense of warning' 🛴 Aussies warned over $1,161 fine after parents' shocking e-scooter act on city road When police questioned the female passenger about her role as a supervisor, she replied, "I was asleep," officers said. The offences resulted in numerous fines and demerit points. They included: Exceeding speed over 30km/h, $1045 fine and five demerit points Learner using a mobile phone, $410 fine and five demerit points Not displaying L plates, $320 fine and two demerit points. Because it was a long weekend and double demerit points were in place, the male driver accumulated a whopping 22 demerit points. Because learner drivers can only accumulate a maximum of four demerit points, he was automatically suspended from driving with a pending extension from NSW Transport. The female passenger also copped a penalty infringement for failing to supervise. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Invasive predator strolls through Aussie suburb as crisis grows
An invasive predator was spotted strolling around an inner-city building this week, shocking Aussies passing by on their way to work. Photos show the brazen red fox casually strutting up a flight of stairs in Parkville, Melbourne, before wandering along what appears to be an apartment complex's fence — all in broad daylight. The destructive pest, which locals say they have affectionately named 'Frédérique', was caught on camera by a curious man who briefly followed the animal. However the seemingly innocent scene is anything but. Foxes are increasingly making their way into Aussie suburbs and major metropolitan areas, with cities like Perth, Sydney and Melbourne hosting the highest populations in the country. And it seems that residents are very aware of their presence, with some revealing online that they see 'Frédérique' walking around 'like he owns the place' on a daily basis. 'I hate that they're so cute but at the same time such a pest. I see them relatively frequently around the northern suburbs,' one Melburnian commented on the Reddit post. 'They're unfortunately quite common,' another added. Urban areas have a higher population of foxes compared to rural areas due to the availability of food, water and shelter. It's estimated that there are as many as 16 foxes per square km in Melbourne, according to Agriculture Victoria. According to recent research by the Australian National University, there are thought to be some 1.7 million foxes across the country, with populations found on 80 per cent of the continent. Their presence, along with feral cats, has had a devastating impact on our wildlife, contributing significantly to Australia's status as having the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. Each year, foxes kill about 300 million native mammals, birds and reptiles. Along with human activity, foxes are speeding up the loss of native animals in our cities. 'The red fox has played a major role in the decline of ground-nesting birds and small to medium sized mammals in Victoria,' Parks Victoria says. 'Foxes are opportunistic predators and scavengers that impact native wildlife, spread weeds and cause production loss in livestock systems.' In Victoria, foxes are declared as established pests, therefore all homeowners and land managers are required to take reasonable steps to help control their spread. 🚘 Predator spotted on Aussie road exposes sinister reality 🐢 Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged by predator 📸 Sad story behind image of emu toes amid Australia's invasive species crisis Earlier this year, a fox was photographed standing in the middle of a busy Perth intersection in the middle of the day, not long after local authorities revealed the predators had killed 300 turtles in an ecologically significant set of wetlands over the span of a year. In autumn, young foxes are 'on the move' in search of new territory after being 'kicked out of home', population management specialist Gillian Basnett recently told Yahoo. However, in cities, it is particularly difficult to completely remove foxes. 'Because we're so close to human habitation and pet animals, it leaves us with a limited set of tools to manage fox numbers," she said. Despite this, Basnett said there are things you can do to help protect local wildlife and deter foxes. They include: Don't leave pet food outside overnight Use enclosed compost bins Keep domestic animals secure at night Remove fallen fruit around fruit trees Keep garbage bins covered Block entry points to drains Close off access to underneath buildings Use fox-proof enclosures for poultry — remember foxes dig and can climb Turn off outside lights that might attract insects Reduce weeds that provide food and shelter, such as Blackberries Record sightings in FoxScan. Deterrents need to be intermittent as they will habituate quickly. E.g. sensor spotlights rather than lights on all the time. Have gardens with lots of plants that wildlife can hide in, grasses, shrubs, rocks, logs, etc. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Urgent product recall on popular $16 Best & Less item: 'Risk of choking'
Best & Less has issued a product recall on a popular children's item due to the risk of serious injury or death from choking. Toddler Light Up Clogs, which are a budget-friendly dupe of Crocs, have been recalled following an incident involving the battery. The shoes are available in both pink with a star light and khaki with a dinosaur light. They are sold in store and online for $16 and have a five-star rating on Best & Less's website. ACCC has reported that the product may not comply with the mandatory standards for products containing button/coin batteries. The light component can detach from the shoe and release small parts, including the battery. RELATED: Urgent product recall on milk sold at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi: 'Severe illness' Coles issues product recall on popular $12 snack due to mould contamination Fisher Price issues product recall on popular toy due to risk of injury or death There is a risk of choking, internal burn injuries or death for children if they swallow button/coin batteries or put them inside their body. Severe or fatal injuries can happen in two hours or less. Consumers who have purchased the Toddler Light Up Clogs are advised to immediately stop using the product and keep it out of reach of children. Shoppers should return the product to any Best & Less store for a full refund, and contact Best & Less via email at customerservice@ or call 1300 135 766 for further information. SHOP: 💅 Aussie company making beauty more accessible and less of a burden ☀️ Tax laws to burn Aussies on summer essential: 'Many of us struggle' 🧽 Aussie mum's $6 solution to most hated household chore: 'Incredible' This comes shortly after the TGA issued a recall on a popular baby product sold at Chemist Warehouse, Priceline and Harris Farm Markets following a shocking discovery that may cause choking or internal injury. Weleda Australia Pty Ltd is recalling one batch of Weleda Baby Teething Oral Powder after a fragment of glass was found in one bottle. A packaging process fault may have resulted in glass fragments appearing in other 60g bottles from the same batch, (B)231302, which has the expiry date 11/2026. No other batches are affected by this recall.
