Intimidating and insulting posts have been hurled at a top BirdLife Malta official after the NGO highlighted the most recent wave of illegal hunting.
BLM CEO Mark Sultana uploaded the insulting posts sent to him personally to his Facebook wall, most of which leaving little to the imagination.
The typo-riddled messages in Maltese insist BirdLife activists should leave hunters in peace. One message says: "So many animals are killed every day, so what if a bird dies?"
I brought a culture in BLM which is non-confrontational with the hunting lobby- Sultana
When contacted, Mr Sultana said: "Intimidation does not affect me. I have seen worse times and it only motivates me and others from BirdLife to work harder. I brought a culture in BLM which is non-confrontational with the hunting lobby and I wish for more dialogue on issues of common grounds."
He said he had will move on and choose to forget the insults the same way he forgot about the incident when his car tires had been slashed last year.
"My focus remains to work for the conservation of Malta's nature for the benefit of the common good of the country."
In a reaction, Kaċċaturi San Ubertu condemned the comments and assured Mr Sultana that any KSU member found to be one of these few perpetrators will face expulsion.
"Not being a member of an official hunting and trapping organisation means one cannot renew their hunting and trapping licenses."
KSU invited the police to take all the necessary steps and investigate those intimidating Birdlife.
"KSU has always believed in rational discussions, good relations and mutual respect with everyone, even if certain issues are in disagreement. On the other KSU remind Birdlife about the remarkable change in mentality where the absolute majority of hunters respect our hunting laws. In a democratic society the actions of a few undesirables should never lead to tarnish the law abiding majority. Our laws are there to castigate the few remaining people that believe they are above the law.
A second shot bee-eater was discovered by bird protection activists in as many days last Tuesday, five days into the autumn hunting season.
Malta's autumn hunting season began on September 1 and will run until January. The government's consultative committee for hunting is due to hold its first seasonal meeting today, almost one week into the start of the season.
Mr Sultana has expressed concern at the situation with hunting regulation, insisting that a lack of communication could give the impression that poachers and law-breakers did not need to be worried about being apprehended.
The concerns were further mounted after Animal Welfare Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri assured hunters that the government will cut fines related to illegal hunting.
