Thefts, attacks, noise pollution and droppings: seagulls make life difficult for residents and shopkeepers on the Hérault coast

Palavas, Carnon, la Grande-Motte or Villeneuve les Maguelone, the Hérault coast is the hunting ground of the yellow-legged gull. The seabird multiplies the nuisances there, attacks, thefts, droppings, incessant noises… the complaints accumulate.

Large white wings, yellow beak and haggard gaze, there is no doubt it is the gull or gabian for the locals. If this seabird has become the symbol of our coastline, it has also become the ordeal of coastal users. Perched on lampposts and poles, they watch over the beach, until they find their prey… the sugar doughnut of four-year-old Enzo. Coming from Lyon, his family had been tempted by the folklore of Hérault, buying doughnuts from street vendors. "Gulls are very violent. Our son was scared, now he's hanging on to my arm", explains Stéphanie, the boy's mother.

Seagull injuries, get out the bandages

The seagulls have a well-honed strategy. They come up behind the children and steal their snack. Little Enzo was lucky, he dropped his doughnut. No injuries to report. However, Julien, a lifeguard on a beach in Hérault, treats injuries caused by seagulls on children's hands every day.“The problem is that a seagull's claws and beak cut and pinch”, explains Julien. The young lifeguard assures that he treats at least one such wound a day and the phenomenon increases during the holidays. Fortunately, a bandage is enough.

The seagulls picnic on the beach

The seagull normally feeds on fish, gleaned from behind trawlers or hunted in the open sea. But he has also discovered the joys of picnicking: packets of crisps, sausage, triangle or homemade sandwiches. Tourists are being robbed. Yassine, 20, was the victim. "I was on the beach with my picnic, and a seagull came along. He was all alone, I thought he was hungry, so I gave him a piece of sandwich. And that was it! His whole gang came along, they ruined my meal". This Parisian made the most common mistake: feeding this opportunistic bird.

Locals warn tourists

Corinne, an employee of the Croq’n’roll snack bar in Palavas, tries to warn foreign customers who have a hard time believing her. "When a customer leaves the snack bar with a sandwich a little too far forward, the seagulls, with incredible speed, steal it!". Some local residents humorously accuse him of having trained the birds to increase his turnover.

The Palavasienne believes that the seagulls are more and more numerous and aggressive, but above all less and less fearful. “It's not just a beach problem, my little girl has to have her snack under the school playground, at the risk of being attacked by the seagulls”, Corinne fumes.

“They're making a racket! We can't sleep…”

&At the beach, residents are forced to share a flat with seagulls, especially on their terrace. Four years ago, Anne moved to Palavas to be closer to her son and enjoy retirement. Even though she loves animals, seagulls make her life difficult: "My terrace is covered in droppings, I have to clean it every day. There are always several of them and they make a racket!" I'm a light sleeper and so is my dog ​​Jacotte, so we don't sleep and she barks all night.”

Restaurants strike back

Chloé, manager of the restaurant The Albatross at Palavas Midi Libre – Fiona Slous

At the Albatros restaurant in Palavas, we enjoy platters of Serrano ham and Catalan fuet on the terrace. The smell of charcuterie has not escaped the seagulls who indulge in organized band flying. Five or six birds have made the restaurant their fishing spot, one plays the role of lookout, the other dives into the plates. According to Chloé, the restaurant manager, their behavior has changed: “We've been here for four years. The first year, all you had to do was get up and the birds would run away. Now, we have to clap our hands, shout and get closer".

To protect the delicatessen, Chloé has installed sand-colored camouflage nets, "Thanks to the sails, they can no longer dive. But in 48 hours, they found another method, they pass under the wooden barriers". The director wants to be reassuring, there are no more than one theft per day, thanks to their vigilance. “It's impressive because they have a large wingspan and break dishes, but they are not aggressive. In terms of losses, it represents no more than a clumsy waiter,”, explains the restaurateur.

The little manual for better cohabitation with birds

Do not be afraid. The seagull does not attack humans as long as its eggs are not touched. He performs intimidations that are nothing more than bluffing.
Do not feed the seagulls. He might consider you as a source of food and raid the pantry. This bird has a good memory, so he will return to the same place to steal.
Put your waste in a closed bin. The seagull rips open the bins, a problem for the cleanliness of the city and for the stomach of this bird, already heavily exposed to plastic pollutants.
Clutter flat roofs around vertical supports. This prevents the seagull from nesting on your residence.
Do not throw bread in the water. Many seagulls brought to the wildlife rescue center of the League for the Protection of Birds – LPO – have botulism, an infection that develops in water because of bread and high temperatures. The disease paralyzes their legs and spreads to the other limbs. It can be treated.
Do not pick up young gulls that are sitting on the sand. Often these young are still learning to fly. They acquire this skill in forty days. Bringing them to rescue centers would be like overloading them with healthy animals, which they will have to raise until they are mature before releasing them.
Do not unhook gulls. If you find a gull with a hook attached, do not try to remove it and do not cut the line too short. The longer the line, the easier it will be to remove.