In addition to its ongoing anti-poaching operations on Malta, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) said that in recent weeks it has also deployed a team to Gozo to “conduct field investigations to identify and shut down active finch trapping sites with clap-nets.”
According to CABS, since mid-March a total of 13 sites have been raided on Gozo by police. 13 clap-nets, five electronic decoy callers and 27 live decoys including serins, hawfinches, linnets, chaffinch and greenfinches were seized.
The organisation explained that “one trapper was caught in-situ and an additional four case files have been submitted where trappers escaped but our evidence is sufficient for the suspects to be summoned to court.”
However, CABS said that a further 6 trappers escaped from police and took the decoy birds with them.
“Our bird protection camp to tackle illegal trapping and hunting across the Maltese archipelago will continue through until May,” said CABS
Photos all by CABS: CABS activist with female chaffinch used as live decoy. the bird will be assessed by the Wild Bird Regulation Unit before being released; Linnet which was used as a live decoy; Seized live decoys in Ramla, Gozo and CABS activist assisting police with seizing illegal trapping equipment on Gozo