Birds flying in support of vultures

Birds of prey will be flying at the Blue Grotto Bel Vedere on Saturday as part of an international initiative to raise awareness on the need to protect vultures.

Falconers in Malta, members of the Fridericus Rex Malta Falconers, want to show that they are concerned by the alarming decline in vultures worldwide.

Vultures face a range of threats. Many populations are under pressure and some species are facing extinction. Several species of Asian vultures are virtually extinct as a result of exposure to a veterinary drug, while African vultures have suffered dramatic declines as a result of poisoning for use in traditional medicines and other causes. American vultures have similarly experienced drastic declines.

Egyptian vultures are sometimes seen in Malta during migration.

“By taking part and speaking to people who come to see our birds, we would be helping to educate people about the beauty of birds of prey, which should be admired alive,” Lawrence Formosa, the director of the Maltese club said.

“Our birds are all bred in captivity and while we enjoy seeing them fly, we can show people what these birds are capable of doing without harming them or nature in any way,” he said.

The Fridericus Rex Malta Falconers Calls joins over 30,000 falconers in over 53 nations worldwide who are members of The International Association for Falconry and the Conservation of Birds of Prey, and calls on all governments and conservation agencies, organisations and people who care about nature and the environment to support the conservation of vultures.

The activity will be taking place between 3 and 7 p.m.