BirdLife condemns Victoria Lines vandalism

BirdLife Malta staff and volunteers together with other international conservationists are currently monitoring raptor migration at Messina in Sicily, once notorious for its illegal hunting, BirdLife said.

The mountains of Messina used to be renowned as an illegal hunting hotspot until conservation organisations ran a successful campaign that put an end to poaching in Sicily in the 1990s.

BLM said news of the vandalism on a wall along the Victoria Lines in Malta reached the group in Sicily resulting in an immediate reaction from BirdLife Malta and condemnation by the executive director of the conservation organisation, Tolga Temuge.

"BirdLife Malta condemns any act of vandalism and statements that are inciting hate and intolerance. Our campaign in Malta is about hunting in spring and the killing of protected species which are both illegal in the EU. We strongly condemn any attempt that is aimed at diverting focus from real issues of conservation," he said from Sicily.