An injured flamingo has been picked up by police from Sliema, but the authorities would not confirm whether it was illegally targeted by hunters, saying “procedure” did not permit them to provide such information.
Members of the public told the police that a juvenile flamingo with an injury to its leg landed next to Exiles in Sliema on Thursday.
The police arrived on the scene and collected the bird, delivering it to the government vet according to normal procedure.
Conservation experts told Times of Malta that such an injury would normally result from shots by hunters. Photos of injured protected birds with dangling legs are a common sight during the hunting season.
The government vet, Gabriella Fumia, confirmed the bird was still alive and managing to drink, but said the next three days were critical for its survival.
I cannot give you this information without authorisation
Dr Fumia is respected among conservation circles for her work, but when asked about the cause of the flamingo’s injuries she would not provide any information.
“It is better if you speak to my superiors in the government. I cannot give you this information without authorisation,” she said, referring this newspaper to the Wild Birds Regulation Unit under the Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretariat led by Roderick Galdes.
Times of Malta called the Wild Birds Regulation Unit to ask about the cause of the bird’s injuries but the response was similar to the government’s vet.
This newspaper was told it had to get the answers through the secretariat’s communications co-ordinator. Questions sent in writing remained unanswered.
Attempts to reach the head of secretariat failed.
When members of the public call Birdlife Malta about injured birds, the conservation organisation regularly releases information on the cause of the injuries and whether the birds survive.
Yet, Birdlife staff and volunteers were recently charged with the illegal possession of protected birds shot by hunters.
They have been summoned to court on October 8 after a ruling by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja last July that upheld a request by the hunters’ federation (FKNK) for the police to take criminal action against six activists.
The young activists featured in a picture distributed to the media in October 2012 showing dead protected species illegally targeted by hunters.
Last week, Ray Vella, a well-known nature reserve warden with Birdlife Malta, rescued a flamingo from Paradise Bay to take it to the safety of the nature reserve.
The police went to his house before heading to the nature reserve to question him.
Mr Vella said the police action was tantamount to “intimidation and harassment”.
This is the third flamingo in two weeks that needed saving. The other two, which were separated from their flock during migration, can be seen at the Għadira nature reserve where they are recovering.