Llanelli MP Raises Concerns over Cheap, Legal Weapons Used Against Wildlife

Dame Nia Griffth, Member of Parliament, has raised concerns that anyone – including children – can legally buy weapons capable of killing wildlife, after attending a Parliamentary briefing hosted by Naturewatch Foundation on the rising misuse of catapults and slingshots.

The briefing, Tackling Wildlife Crime: Protecting Communities from Catapult & Slingshot Offending, highlighted evidence that catapults are increasingly being used to deliberately injure and kill wildlife, damage property, and intimidate rural communities. Despite their potential to cause serious harm, these weapons remain completely unregulated in England and Wales, with no minimum age for purchase.

Dame Nia Griffith MP said:

“It was alarming to hear that these weapons are legally available to anyone, including children. Wildlife across Wales and the wider UK is being harmed and endangered, and communities are being affected. This is a legal loophole that needs closing, and I support calls for stronger controls to protect both people and wildlife.”

Naturewatch Foundation warned MPs that police and communities are currently powerless to act: officers cannot confiscate catapults unless another offence has already been committed, and incidents involving catapults are not recorded as a specific crime. Wildlife rescue centres continue to report rising numbers of injured and killed animals, including swans, hedgehogs, squirrels, and domestic pets.

“This is not harmless mischief,” said Jim Clark, Wildlife Crime Campaign Manager at Naturewatch Foundation. “Modern catapults are capable of lethal force. Legislative failure to tackle this issue is costing wildlife their lives, traumatising communities and putting unnecessary pressure on already overstretched police forces. It’s a loophole that urgently needs closing.”

Naturewatch Foundation is calling for:

• An age restriction of 18+ for purchasing catapults and slingshots
• Sales controls similar to knives and air weapons
• Restrictions on ultra-high-powered devices marketed irresponsibly
• Better recording of catapult-related crime

Dame Nia is supporting these measures and urging both the government and retailers to act to prevent unnecessary harm.

Several incidents involving the killing of swans and other waterfowl in Llanelli have highlighted these concerns.

Timeline of Known Incidents in Llanelli

2014 – Dafen Pond
A cygnet (young swan) was found dead with injuries consistent with having been shot, prompting a wildlife crime investigation.

2019 – Sandy Water Park
Six swans were discovered shot and decapitated over a two-week period, one of the most serious wildlife crime cases reported locally.

2022 – Old Castle Pond
A swan was recovered with bullet wounds to the head, again raising suspicions that it had been shot with an air-powered weapon.

2024 – Millennium Coastal Park / Sandy Water Park area
Authorities investigated multiple swan and duck carcasses discovered around lakes along the coastal park. Officials said several birds appeared to have been deliberately killed rather than taken by predators, and further incidents were reported later the same year.

Confirmed Minimum Deaths

Based on publicly reported cases:

• 2014 – 1 cygnet

• 2019 – 6 swans

• 2022 – 1 swan

• 2024 – multiple swans and ducks (exact figure not confirmed)

This means at least eight birds are known to have been killed in Llanelli over an eight-year period, though the true number is likely higher because some investigations refer only to “multiple” carcasses.