An angry mob attacked two young men who had killed a Western Capercaillie (wood grouse) — a volatile species in severe decline — Titisee-Neustadt (Black Forest) police reported on Sunday.
The two men, aged 20 and 22, had killed the Capercaillie with a bottle when returning home from a party on Saturday. They told the police that the bird had threatened them and that they had acted in self-defence.
After the incident, witnesses went after the young men. A crowd of angry people then beat them and drenched them with beer. Police opened an investigation to determine the role of the different persons involved.
The Capercaillie is a bird species in danger of extinction in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, but encounters with humans are not unusual in their habitat. The male is very territorial. In the Black Forest, a plan is underway to stabilize their population.
The Brussels Times
