Illegal trapper caught... again

The illegal wader trapper who was apprehended and booked by the police following a report by BirdLife two weeks ago was again caught trapping illegally on Tuesday, BirdLife said.

BirdLife said that on September 16 it revealed footage of the illegal trapper in Zurrieq and he was then arrested by the police. The organisation said it learnt that the same trapper continued trapping protected birds over the past two weeks and he was filmed at the same trapping site by a Raptor Camp team on Tuesday. The police were informed and arrived on site, arresting the man and his accomplice.

Protected species, including finches and a dotterel, were found in cages at the site.

“While welcoming the prompt ALE action, it is important that offenders who persist in breaking hunting and trapping law are given sentences which will act as serious deterrents to wildlife crimes” said Geoffrey Saliba, BirdLife Malta campaigns coordinator.

“Licences for repeat offenders must be cancelled and equipment used in the crime confiscated," he said.

Bird trapping is banned in the EU under the Birds Directive. The government this year announced that it will apply a derogation to allow trapping of turtle dove and quail between September 1 and October 10, as well as of golden plover and song thrush between October 20 and January 10.

Finch trapping is no longer allowed in Malta as the five year transition period for the phasing out of this practice, agreed upon with the EU during Malta’s accession negotiations, expired at the end of last year.