Dozens of parakeets have been found dead in a London park after allegedly being targeted by youths armed with catapults.
A wildlife charity said 43 ring-necked parakeets were found in Priory Gardens in Orpington, south-east London, in just three weeks.
The groups of youths wait for the birds to roost in the trees after dark, before shining bright lights at the birds and following up with catapult fire, according to Greenwich Wildlife Network.
Campaigners say ball bearings, nuts and bolts have previously been discovered scattered around the park.
Some animals recovered from the area have reportedly suffered deep circular wounds and severe fractures consistent with being struck by projectiles.
One parakeet was found alive and floating in the park's lake with a huge wound to its chest. Volunteers rushed to the bird's aid but it died shortly afterwards.
Rae Gellel, director and founder of Greenwich Wildlife Network, says attacks on animals at Priory Gardens have been reported since 2020.
'The reality is even more disturbing than the death toll suggests, because animals are not simply being killed,' she said.
Two parakeets were found dead in a lake in Priory Gardens after the alleged catapult attacks
Ms Gellel added: 'We have seen them horrifically maimed - blinded, left with severe fractures, their beaks shattered so badly they can no longer feed, and dependent young left orphaned after their parents have been killed.
'One of these parakeets was rescued floating in the lake with a crater-sized hole in her chest and died shortly after - in horrific pain.'
She claimed one motive for the attacks was to share the footage of killing the animals on social media platforms such as TikTok.
She said: 'It turns cruelty into content and something to show off to others.
'When young people appear to take pleasure in deliberately inflicting pain and suffering on living animals - and potentially seek attention or status from broadcasting it online - that should concern all of us.'
But Ms Gellel said the problem extended far beyond the recent spate of parakeet deaths.
'To have 43 parakeets found dead in just three weeks is staggering, but this has never been about one species.
'Ducks, geese, pigeons, gulls, squirrels, foxes and other wildlife have all been targeted over the years.'
She said the attacks had also taken an emotional toll on residents who regularly visit Priory Gardens and know some of its animals individually.
'They should not have to walk into a park they love and be confronted, day after day, with wounded or dead animals,' she added.
'A place that should be a source of peace, nature and community has instead repeatedly become a scene of animal cruelty.'
One of the parakeets found injured after the catapult attacks in the park in southeast London
The charity is now calling for tighter controls on the sale of catapults to under-18s and for wildlife crime to be given greater priority by police.
Ms Gellel said: 'This is sustained, deliberate cruelty, and after so many years it is incredibly frustrating that it is still happening.
'After six or seven years of animals being shot, maimed and killed with no let-up, the answer cannot simply be to carry on as we have been.'
Ring-necked parakeets are a non-native species and can be controlled under certain legal conditions.
However, their classification does not give members of the public permission to indiscriminately shoot or injure them.
Greenwich Wildlife Network has repeatedly campaigned against catapult attacks and organised an End Catapult Cruelty protest march through Orpington on March 30.
It says it has also staged two demonstrations at Priory Gardens, with its wider campaign against catapult cruelty dating back to at least 2024.
Rae Gellel (left) said attacks on animals at the park have been ongoing for the past six years
A separate parliamentary petition is calling for parents to be made legally responsible for wildlife crimes committed by their children.
The petition, created by Linda Giblin, has attracted nearly 2,000 signatures and is due to remain open until January 27, 2027.
Gareth Bacon, the Conservative MP for Orpington, has previously called for catapult sales to be licensed.
A Bromley Council spokesperson said: 'There continues to be concern, which is shared by all, at what appears to be the distressing maiming or killing of birds, including most recently parakeets, which we are aware of, with thanks to the vigilance of local residents and the Friends of Parks group.'