Police arrest two taxidermists
Eagle among bird carcasses found
Two taxidermists were arrested yesterday afternoon after the police found a number of carcasses of protected birds in their possession, including a freshly stuffed short-toed eagle, other birds of prey, herons and colourful birds.
The two men, from Birzebbuga and Zebbug respectively, were still helping the police in their investigations last night and it is understood the police are looking for a number of other dead eagles after a flock of them was massacred over the weekend.
Police from the Administrative Law Enforcement Unit searched the residences of the people they arrested.
From Birzebbuga they seized close to 100 specially protected species such as honey buzzards, marsh harriers, falcons, night herons and colourful birds. They also found a few freshly mounted specimens of honey buzzards and other birds of prey.
From Zebbug a number of freshly mounted and freshly skinned protected birds were seized, such as marsh harriers and other birds of prey.
Tools and chemicals related to taxidermy were taken away from both locations.
Malta Environment and Planning Authority officials from the nature protection unit were called on site to identify the birds.
Investigations are still underway into hundreds of stuffed birds which formed part of the two men's collections. It has to be seen whether all the specimens have been registered with Mepa.
BirdLife estimates that at least 24 short-toed eagles were shot on Friday and Saturday. The number killed could run up to 31, with sources yesterday confirming that an initial flock of 31 birds was first seen at Hal-Far. The numbers diminished as eagles were later seen in various areas, with several hunters following them and gunning them down.
Several birds are understood to have been shot at Imtahleb, Dwejra, Dingli, Bingemma and Maghtab.
Short-toed eagles are considered as strictly protected and shooting them is meant to carry harsher penalties than contemplated for shooting other species. However a hunter who was recently convicted of having shot one of them was only fined Lm250 even though he had several previous hunting-related convictions.