Isle of Man appeal after wallaby shot and killed

More than 100 wallabies are thought to live in the Ballaugh area

An animal welfare charity has appealed for information after a wallaby was shot in the head on the Isle of Man.

The ManxSPCA said the "distressing incident" took place on 8 March in the north of the island.

The male wallaby was found collapsed on a driveway in Glen Auldyn and was taken to a vet where it had to be put down due to the extent of its injuries.

A spokeswoman said the use of an "inappropriate firearm" had caused the animal to suffer.

The mammals, which are native to Australia, are not protected under the island's Wildlife Act 1990 because they are a non-indigenous species and as such it is not illegal to shoot them.

The ManxSPCA spokeswoman said the "poor animal" had been shot with a firearm designed to kill rabbits or pheasants, which "wasn't powerful enough to kill a medium sized mammal outright".

Calling for anyone with information about the incident to come forward, she said: "We need to make sure whoever did this understands the ramifications of using an inappropriate firearm, and the pain and suffering they have caused."

Wallabies should be promoted "as a wonderful addition to our Manx countryside" and natural selection should be left to control the population, she added.

More than 100 of the marsupials are thought to live in the area of the Ballaugh Curraghs after several escaped from a wildlife park in 1960s.