'Limited culling' of geese carried out at Chichester holiday park: This is why armed police were called

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Armed officers were called after reports of gunfire at a holiday park in Chichester – which turned out to be the ‘limited culling' of geese.

West Sussex Wildlife Protection has since published a statement about the 'shocking geese shooting' at Lakeside Holiday Park, Vinnetrow Road, Chichester.

A spokesperson said: "During the two-week shutdown of the site that ends on Sunday, January 19, armed men have been shooting the geese within the holiday Park site and on the surrounding lakes at dawn and dusk.

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"Geese have been falling wounded into the water near the anglers leading to numerous complaints, and on Tuesday morning (January 14) armed police were called to the site after terrific arguments blew up when wounded birds splashed into the lake by anglers."

Armed officers were called after reports of gunfire at a holiday park in Chichester – which turned out to be the ‘limited culling' of geese. (Stock image / National World)Armed officers were called after reports of gunfire at a holiday park in Chichester – which turned out to be the ‘limited culling' of geese. (Stock image / National World)
Armed officers were called after reports of gunfire at a holiday park in Chichester – which turned out to be the ‘limited culling' of geese. (Stock image / National World)

Sussex Police confirmed this incident ‘is not being investigated as a crime’, adding that authority for the shooting was ‘permitted by the land owner’.

A spokesperson for the police added: “Armed officers were deployed due to the initial nature of the report (people shooting firearms).

“The officers engaged with those present and no offences were identified.”

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Park Holidays UK, which runs Lakeside, has also issued a statement.

A spokesperson said: “A limited culling of geese at Chichester Lakeside was carried out in order to safeguard the breeding habitats and feeding resources of other indigenous wildlife in the grounds of the park, and to prevent an excess of numbers causing a nuisance to park guests.

"The work, which is now completed, was carried out humanely within strict legal guidelines by a professional contractor with the necessary licences to ensure full compliance with the relevant authorities.

“Goose numbers are carefully monitored by the park, and action taken only when necessary. The volume of birds usually rises in winter when flocks of geese move inland to graze on grasslands.”

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West Sussex Wildlife Protection said it was ‘extremely shocked’ by the culling.

Spokesman Simon Wild said: “As a rescue [charity], we get called by residents at Lakeside Holiday Park more than a dozen times a year when they find injured geese and swans, and they will be devastated that when their backs are turned the manager at the park appears to have called in people to kill the geese.

“Because geese are very large birds, studies have shown there is often a 50 per cent crippling (wounding) rate when shooting geese with shotguns, so this is totally inhumane.”

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