By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
A video documenting the intentional killing of a snowy egret that had lived at Lake Gregory for several years drew outraged comments on Facebook.
The video was taken by a local resident who was shocked to see two men laughing and throwing stones at the bird, known as Arthur. The two men first threw a rock at him, knocking him off the dock and then continued, intentionally killing him, as the video shows.
The video was first shared on Facebook and Instagram by the photographer who was worried their own safety was compromised. Then, a couple days later, after encouragement by those who had seen the video, it was shown on TV channel 5-KTLA in Los Angeles. The person who had done the filming of the incident said the men threatened them while filming the incident, since they also yelled at the men to tell them to stop doing it.
Locals who had watched the snowy egret over the years and photographed him frequently had named him Arthur. The egret was a popular photo topic at the lake, standing on his long legs near the shore, and his photos were frequently posted on Facebook pages and his photo was in an art show, too. The community was instantly outraged at the video and started trying to figure out who the men on the video were.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was contacted, as was the sheriff’s department and the video was shown to them. They immediately began to search for the suspects shown in the cell phone-recorded death of Arthur, the snowy egret.
One local man was mistakenly identified as one of the bird murderers, said Captain Craig Harris at the Lake Arrowhead Municipal Advisory Council meeting on Nov. 7. “His name and business were shared on Facebook by angry residents. That was not the man, and those locals who threatened him need to stop, as the men who the sheriff have arrested for killing the bird were from off the mountain,” he added.
“The man who has been identified for this incident is from off the mountain. He has been arrested and is now facing animal cruelty charges and the case has been sent to the District Attorney for prosecution,” added Harris.
The Lake Gregory Regional Park has agreed to allow a memorial stone to be installed, near where Arthur used to hang out and was killed, on the dock next to the bait and tackle shop on the east end of the lake.
A local artist who is a professional stone carver has volunteered to create a beautiful stone in the bird’s memory; it will include one of Arthur’s feathers that a local resident had saved. Nothing can bring Arthur back to the community and his lake family of birds but, with this memorial, the community will be able to remember his beauty and grace forever.
Hundreds of comments were made on Facebook about the incident, including one by Kathleen McLane who summed up many of the other comments: “This is a major loss to our community. It is sad that these kinds of people could walk away free, while an innocent creature is no longer able to share its beauty with us. Let’s pray that the powers that be will follow through on this prosecution and get a just verdict, for Arthur.”
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