Update: A hunter was in court this afternoon before Magistrate Dr A Bugeja, charged with hunting a protected bird [1] and attempting to keep it.
The man, Stefan Micallef of Naxxar, had told the Police that he shot the cuckoo by mistake, thinking that it was a turtle dove.
He pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him, the court fined Micallef €2,500, had his shotgun and cartridges seized and his hunting licence was suspended for three and a half years.
Inspector Jurgen Vella led the prosecution in this case.
The Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK), in a statement this afternoon, said that it has written to the authorities for details of the “alleged killing of a protected bird – a cuckoo – in the area of Manikata.”
The Federation added that “if the person who committed this act is in fact a member, then his membership will be immediately suspended with the Federation pending the outcome of any criminal proceedings against him.
“If that person is guilty of the offence by the courts, his membership will be cancelled immediately. This is in line with the policy of zero tolerance of the Federation, especially in these type of cases.”
“After, a positive and successful referendum campaign, granted by the Maltese and Gozitan people to maintain this derogation,” the FKNK said, “it will not allow anyone, through his selfishness, break this achievement.”
The Federation concluded by saying that it appeals to Birdlife Malta and the Maltese public to collaborate with FKNK by informing it of any incident of violation, and to report to the Police on phone number 119.