Investigation underway into death of gyrfalcon
Bill Cleverley
Times Colonist
Saturday, November 05, 2005
An investigation into the death and dismemberment of a Gyrfalcon after it landed at William Head prison could take a month or more, say prison officials.
Prison officials alerted the SPCA Wild ARC facility after the bird landed on prison grounds at about 5 p.m. Oct. 25, and was discovered by inmates, deputy warden Dave Clouston said Friday.
Interviews have been conducted with all the inmates that had contact with the bird but no one is saying he knows how it died, Clouston said.
Prisoners were advised to set the bird free, which the prisoners say they attempted to do.
"They tried to do that. The bird flew onto a roof and then onto a tree and fell out of the tree," Clouston said.
"They're not sure, but they thought it had been dazed or something. They then took it and put it under the roof of a building that had rafters -- kind of an open shed that we have. That's the last they saw of it that night."
The next morning, an inmate told officials where the bird's carcass was. When it was found, it's wings, talons, tail and head had been removed.
"We haven't discovered the inmate that actually removed the head and the wings and the body parts," Clouston said.
He said prison officials will conduct a more formal investigation which involves a review of all statements collected. That process could take a month.
Clouston did not know what the process would be if the bird is found to have been killed by an inmate.
"If it died of natural causes that's one thing. If it was killed by an inmate, I guess we would do what we can to try to punish the inmate," he said.
SPCA chief animal protection officer Shawn Eccles has sent the falcon's body for tests to see whether there's any chemical imbalance.
Normally, cruelty charges are laid using provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
That act wouldn't have any relevance in this case, Eccles said, because investigators charge an individual with an offence only if the person is responsible for the animal -- either the owner or someone who has care and custody.
Eccles said charges could be laid under the Criminal Code if someone willfully caused the bird pain and suffering.
Gyrfalcons, which are not indigenous to B.C., can sell for $4,000 or more.