A man has been charged with animal cruelty offences after several brush turkeys were allegedly shot with an arrow and ball bearings on Sydney's Lower North Shore.
NSW Police launched an investigation following reports of injured birds near Green Street in Cremorne between April 2025 and September 2026.
On each occasion, the native birds were taken to a wildlife hospital but all had to be euthanised due to the extent of their injuries.
Following extensive inquiries, detectives and plain-clothes officers executed a search warrant at a Green Street home on Monday, where they allegedly seized two slingshots and a number of metal ball bearings.
They also arrested a 56-year-old man, who wore a shirt over his face as he was escorted in handcuffs from the home to a police vehicle.
He was charged with three counts of recklessly beating and seriously injuring an animal and two counts of possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit.
He was granted conditional bail to appear in Manly Local Court on November 26.
Brush turkeys, a common sight on Sydney's Lower North Shore, are protected native birds under NSW law.
Harming or attempting to harm a protected animal is an offence under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
An individual convicted of harming a protected animal can face a fine of up to $22,000, plus an additional penalty of up to $2,200 for each animal.
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The man has since been granted conditional bail to face court later this month
A man (pictured during his arrest) is accused of injuring multiple brush turkeys with an arrow and metal ball bearings
Brush turkeys, a common sight on Sydney's Lower North Shore, are protected native birds under NSW law
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