Duck shot at Whanganui’s Rotokawau Virginia Lake still on loose despite community’s efforts

Benedict the duck has evaded capture for three days. Photo / Neil Beissel

A duck shot by a crossbow at Whanganui’s Rotokawau Virginia Lake is evading capture despite the efforts of a group of volunteers.

Whanganui resident and regular lake-goer Neil Biessel is leading the operation to trap the bird, named Benedict, who has a bolt lodged under his left wing.

Beissel first spotted the injured duck on Sunday morning.

He said the group had got close to catching him a few times since but “he’s pretty wary”.

“If you bring out a net he’s gone. We would love him to just stop and say ‘Look, take this thing out’.”

“He’s been hiding under the boardwalk and in the reeds but we’ve worked out his patterns and fingers crossed, we’ll get him.”

Benedict was still eating and did not seem too distressed, Biessel said.

“An elderly gentleman told me he named him Elvis because of the black feathers on the top of his head but we’ve always known him as Benedict.

“It’s a bit silly but that circle on top makes him look like a Benedictine monk. That’s how we recognise him.”

Beissel said the weekend’s incident was terrible but people’s willingness to help capture Benedict showed the community cared about the lake and its birds.

“We are going to keep trying,” he said.

“The hardest thing will be once it [the bolt] comes out. He is going to need some specialist attention.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.