The shooting frenzy 'precedes' open season

The hunting season opens today but for many hunters this is no more than a formality because, as the autumn bird migration moves into full swing, illegal hunting has again marred the last weeks of the close season, BirdLife said yesterday.

BirdLife said that over the past days it received regular reports of illegal hunting from various localities as birds of prey and flocks of herons have started making an appearance. Protected birds such as Purple Herons, Eleonora's Falcons, Harriers and even White Storks have already met their fate even though it is illegal to hunt at this time, BirdLife said.

It urged the police to step up their resources both in Malta and Gozo in order to deal with illegal hunting. It also reminded the public that it is illegal to hunt at sea before October 1. Finch trapping, it said, can only be carried out after October 1.

BirdLife Malta urged the public to report illegal hunting activities to the police administrative law enforcement (ALE) section on 2123 5761 or to the police HQ on 112.