Be the first to comment!Gozo Finch ”researcher” caught trapping 4 days before season opens – MRU
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The Malta Ranger Unit has said that On the same day as Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri announced that the season for ”finch research” will open on the 20th of October, ”a balaclava wearing researcher was busy trapping finches in the remote country side at sunrise,”
”Our Rangers reported to the Gozo Police that a person was actively trapping finches during the closed season at sunrise,” However, the Rangers claimed that, ”a minute after the report is done, the poacher gets a phone call and rushes out from the hide, packs up and runs off.”
The MRU pointed out that ”Gozo has no trained Environmental Protection Unit police and it took the Officers nearly 45 minutes to enter the site after having gone down the incorrect road.”
The MRU stated that ”even though the poacher was identified by the Rangers and documented to use the nets, and the Police knew who he was and where he was heading, the Wild Birds Regulation Unit advised the Officers to not confiscate any nets if they encountered the accused. This because they were no longer on the trapping site.”
”The Officers were made aware about the specific vehicle the accused was driving,” the MRU said, ”however, still the accused was seen passing the Police vehicle and took off into a village where he quickly hid the evidence in nearby buildings.”
The MRU argued that ”this all boils down to lack of training of Officers and lack of equipment to tackle environmental crime efficiently.”
The Malta Ranger Unit said that it has submitted all information to the Gozo Police ”and we expect court actions to be taken against the well-known individual.”
The Rangers added that ”unfortunately, due to WBRU seemingly blocking further actions, the accused would by now have hidden the wild caught finches in a location where they won’t be found.”
The Malta Ranger Unit concluded by saying that ”this is the Gozo reality. This is the daily frustration our Rangers are faced with due to the decision-makers, who are aware of the flaws, not acting on it.”
A video can be viewed by clicking here.
Screenshot Malta Ranger Unit
