Video below: BirdLife Malta said that two highly protected and rare Black Storks graced the islands on Monday afternoon, seeking refuge for the night in the Buskett environs. ”One of the birds was shot down at Xaghra tal-Isqof, outside Buskett, while the two were being filmed by birdwatchers.”
The organisation said that the storks were among the latest arrivals following Sunday’s storms, which brought a bird-fall of large numbers of diverse migratory species to the islands.
BirdLife Malta said that the Black Stork is a rare visitor to Malta and is strictly protected under Maltese law. It also receives the highest level of protection under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive and Annex A of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
It explained that ”despite their level of protection, Black Storks fetch high prices on the black market and are highly sought after for taxidermy collections, which largely remain unchecked following past amnesties in 1996 and 2003. Recent decisions allowing the transfer of carcasses permit hunters to launder such specimens, further increasing demand for such species.”
BirdLife Malta’s Head of Conservation, Nicholas Barbara, said, “birds like these protected Black Storks are already condemned before they appear, and there is absolutely no political will to change the situation. Besides being wanted for unchecked taxidermy collections, we have a situation where thousands of hunters are out and poorly policed.”
BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana stated, “what we have witnessed in the past days is nothing less than a massacre of protected birds, a frenzy of indiscriminate hunting that has even left a woman injured while walking her dog. It is unacceptable, and what makes it worse is the deafening silence of our local politicians and the hunting lobby FKNK. Their spineless silence is more deafening than the gunshots that have replaced birdsong in our countryside these past days. This silence is not neutrality, it is poor leadership and a complete failure to stand up for the law, for public safety, and for our natural heritage.”
BirdLife Malta is appealing to members of the public to ”remain vigilant” and report any illegal hunting incidents to the Police on 119 or to BirdLife Malta on 2134 7645.
It said that the second Black Stork is believed to have also been killed between last night and this morning. Anyone with information is requested to come forward.
Photo: Black Storkd Buskett by Aron Tanti – 15th September; video BirdLife Malta