Two flamingos shot at Marsascala

Two flamingos were shot at Ir-Ramla taz-Zejtun, in Marsascala in full view of swimmers at about 9 a.m. yesterday, police sources said.

The two immature birds settled in the shallow waters only to be gunned down within minutes and the hunter was seen diving in to retrieve them. The hunter was then noticed stashing the birds into his car and driving away.

The police were called and shortly afterwards a 25-year-old man from Zejtun was arrested. Investigations by police officers from the administrative law enforcement unit led to the recovery of two dead flamingos from a freezer located in a house in Santa Lucia.

In September last year, four flamingos were shot dead at Marsaxlokk, two of them in the presence of Malta Environment and Planning Authority inspectors who were unable to stop the hunters from killing the protected birds.

A hunter was charged with shooting one of the flamingos and fined Lm100 and had his shotgun confiscated after he pleaded guilty to shooting a flamingo within the confines of a bird sanctuary at Marsaxlokk on September 5 last year.

Officers from the administrative law enforcement unit apprehended a number of hunters over the past days - the shooting season is now open.

A short-toed eagle was shot from Dwejra, limits of Mosta, on Monday after it settled in a tree.

A number of hunters were found in possession of freshly killed honey buzzards at Buskett gardens, a bird sanctuary. Others were seen shooting at honey buzzards and bee-eaters, which are protected species.

A number of hunters were also apprehended for hunting from seacraft. The season for shooting from seacraft is still closed.