WIRES Wildlife Rescue say birds shot with arrows not isolated incidents

Council workers made the distressing find at Fisher Park in Cootamundra, where staff had to remove a dead pink galah from the playground area after witnesses reported seeing the bird get shot with an arrow.

A separate incident occurred this week where an ibis was also found with an arrow lodged in its abdomen in Caboolture, Brisbane.

The RSPCA Queensland euthanised the bird as it was not able to be saved.

WIRES Wildlife Rescue said the two similar incidents were, sadly, not uncommon.

"WIRES has received a number of calls over the years to rescue animals found with arrows protruding from their bodies," a spokesperson said.

"Sadly we estimate that this is only a fraction of the animals that have actually been shot with arrows as they usually flee into the nearest bushland where they die a slow and painful death from infection or exposure, often with the arrow still embedded."

Illegal shooting of an animal using a bow is a prosecutable offence under three Acts in NSW: the Firearms Act 1996, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979.

"WIRES encourages the community to report illegal activities to the Police, RSPCA or The National Parks and Wildlife Service," a spokesperson said.

Cootamundra-Gundagai mayor Cr Abb McAlister said he was horrified by the ordeal at Fisher Park.

"The cruelty to inflict this type of injury to any animal is abhorrent," he said.

"To even hunt a native species bird in the confines of town defies belief.

"The risk of harm to people who visit the area was high, and the sheer act disgusts me, I feel for our parks and gardens staff who have had to deal with this and the persons responsible should be ashamed of themselves."