COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A man wanted for beating a seagull with a shovel on the beach in Marco Island turned himself into authorities.
30-year-old Paul John Flaucher from Jesup, Iowa was charged with 1 count of aggravated animal cruelty.
Police started the investigation on November 5, 2021, in the South Beach area.
It was reported that a male suspect was hitting seagulls with a shovel. The suspect left the scene prior to police arrival. One of the seagulls struck by the shovel received a broken wing and was no longer able to fly. It was later euthanized at the Conservancy of Southwest due to the severity of its injuries.
The seagull is a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
