Birds shot ahead of hunting season

The hunting season may not officially kick off till tomorrow, but Birdlife Malta said it had already treated protected birds suffering gunshot wounds.

Birdlife took custody of a Cory's Shearwater, a Little Egret and a Purple Heron, all of which were found to have severe gunshot injuries after they were examined by a vet. The birds had to be put down.

Birdwatchers in the countryside also reported an increase in illegal hunting over the last week as the migration season begins to pick up, according to Birdlife.

The NGO said it had received a number of reports related to illegal hunting. These included poachers shooting at Bee-eaters and Turtle Doves in Girgenti, a Montagu's Harrier and Honey-buzzard being killed at Laferla Cross, Oystercatchers being targeted by speedboat passengers near Għadira Bay and a Purple Heron being shot at Dwejra.

A dead juvenile Purple Heron with gunshot wounds was also reported in the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieħa. All these birds are subject to special conservation measures in Europe.

"In a depressingly familiar pattern, as bird migration begins protected birds are being, targeted both on land and at sea," Birdlife conservation manager André Raine said.

Dr Raine believes the police's Administrative Law Enforcement unit needs more resources to combat the situation.

"Despite the predictable upsurge in illegal hunting, the ALE is still committed to other duties, such as beach patrols... At present they are repeatedly unable to deal with illegal hunting reports due to their extremely limited resources. This is unacceptable."

Birdlife also drew attention to what it described as unfulfilled promises that the hunting federation would cancel the membership of those found guilty of illegal hunting and trapping.