Australian man charged after alleged cruel act involving a chicken and an alligator at NSW zoo

A 57-year-old man has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly throwing a live chicken into an alligator enclosure. Photo / 123rf

A 57-year-old man has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly throwing a live chicken into an alligator enclosure at a NSW zoo.

A man who allegedly plucked a live chicken from the grounds of a wildlife park and threw it to an alligator to be killed in front of horrified onlookers has been charged.

The man allegedly committed the shocking act at the Oakvale Wildlife Park in Salt Ash, Port Stephens, earlier this week.

“Officers were told that a man removed a live chicken from an enclosure and threw it into a nearby alligator enclosure, where it was killed,” NSW Police said in a statement on Friday.

The man attended Singleton Police Station where he was charged with committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal.

He is set to appear in court on February 5.

Concerned animal activists have since thanked the wildlife park for pushing for charges.

“So disheartening to read about what happened with the ‘men’ throwing one of your lovely hens into the alligators,” one woman wrote on the Oakvale Wildlife Park Facebook page.

“It would have been so awful to see especially for little children, and those of us who love animals of all species.

“RIP Hen”.