BirdLife reports illegal hunting, aggression towards its volunteers

BirdLife Malta said today that it had seen or received reports of several cases of protected birds being shot.

In a statement, it said that its Spring Watch team at Handaq this morning witnessed a Montagu's  Harrier being shot just a few hundred meters away and dropping dead in a field. It was recovered by the police.

Another Spring Watch team also witnessed two other birds of prey being shot down at Has-Saptan next to the Luqa international airport. The police were called to the area.

Other Spring Watch teams yesterday recorded illegal shooting at all seven locations visited. Teams also recorded illegal electronic Quail lures, protected kestrels shot at in Marsascala, and armed hunters in the countryside on a Sunday morning when all hunting activity is illegal.

Seven protected birds; four Marsh Harriers, a Grey Heron, a Montagu's Harrier, and a Yellow Legged Gull, were seen by Spring Watch teams in flight with injuries consistent with gunshot damage.

BirdLife said its teams had also been subject to aggressive behaviour. A pick-up truck yesterday evening stopped barely short of driving into a Spring Watch team at the Red Tower, causing one team member to jump out of its way to avoid being hit. A group of men then leapt out the truck and started insulting the volunteers.

The incident lasted 40 minutes during which team members were sworn at, insulted, and the local team leader threatened and told “We know where you live”. Police from the mobile squad reacted to a call for assistance and dispersed the 'aggressors'.

Birdlife said it was compiling  a report which it would be sending to the European Commission at the end of the spring hunting derogation.

(Footage provided by BirdLife)