BirdLife Malta said today that no volunteer of the organisation was under police investigation as confirmed by officials from the police.

The organisation addressed inaccurate media reports claiming that one of the organisation’s members could be under police investigation for providing information to hunters on the whereabouts of BirdLife volunteers during the Spring Watch camp. BirdLife waited until now to clarify the information because it waited to receive police confirmation.

BirdLife was informed police investigations were ongoing involving a member of staff belonging to a private security company contracted to provide protection services to its volunteers in the field. The organisation is obliged to employ protection services for its members who often face serious threats and even physical attacks in the countryside.

It was the security company itself that had informed BirdLife Malta that the person in question (a former hunter) had provided advance information to a hunter on the arrival of birdwatchers during the last Spring Watch Camp. As soon as the security company knew this, it took immediate action to relieve him of his duties and he is no longer employed with the company.

BirdLife Malta stated that it remained committed to dialogue with law-abiding hunters and its collaboration with the law enforcement authorities to put an end to illegal hunting in the Maltese islands.

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