Two Birdlife staff members were attacked in Delimara this evening upon discovering a suspected illegal trapping site, the organisation said.

It said in a statement its staff members were walking in the Delimara Point area at around 6.30pm when they heard an illegal bird caller. As they approached the site where they saw equipment related to trapping, they became aware of four men running towards them from within the site.

One began shouting aggressively then jumped over a wall and hit the two Birdlife men in the face.  

Conservation officer Nick Piludu, one of those assaulted said the area was notorious for illegal bird trapping with both Birdlife and CABS reporting multiple cases of illegal trapping year on year.

“We are very thankful to the police for attending so quickly, however it’s alarming that members of the public could be subject to such harassment and intimidation for merely walking through this area.”

ALE officers attended the scene just in time to intervene as one of the aggressors picked up a large rock to throw. He was restrained by the police. Police from the Birzebbuga station also attended the call.

The artificial bird caller was playing the sound of an oystercatcher, a protected bird belonging to a group of birds known as waders. Many waders migrate over Malta in summer on their way south to Africa. Trapping them from the wild is illegal at any time of year.