At a press conference outside the law courts in Valletta this evening, BirdLife Malta outlined why “the season’s closure was a result of the hunting community’s inability to obey the law.”

Remarking on the illegalities committed by hunters Mark Sultana, BirdLife Malta Spokesperson said, “despite a referendum result that showed very strong opposition to spring hunting and the Prime Minister’s remarks that this was the last chance for hunters, many of them just could not control themselves and we continued to witness illegal hunting throughout the season.”

The season was also characterised by “escalating illegal activity as the season progressed.” Mr Sultana added, “illegal bird shooting was taking place from almost the moment the season was opened, but as hunters became more confident, the offences became progressively worse culminating in a teenager sustaining gunshot injuries in Pembroke and a kestrel being shot and falling in to a school playground.”

“These acts took place against a social and political environment that expected hunters to obey the rules.” Mr Sultana said, “this should have been the season when illegal acts were removed from spring hunting, but seems that the hunting community was unable to listen to the warning signs of the Prime Minister and the closeness of the referendum result and they still decided to break the law. This is why the season was closed.”

While there were less illegal hunting acts than in previous years, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager Nicholas Barbara said, “we still witnessed illegal killing of protected birds and basic breaking of the rules of spring hunting, such as hunters using shotguns capable of firing more than three rounds and extensive use of illegal electronic lures. This demonstrates a general disregard for the rules of hunting and also justifies the closure of the season.”

BirdLife Malta also reacted to claims by hunters “that teachers and BirdLife Malta are themselves breaking the law by handling injured birds.” Mr Barbara said, “I will be in court on May 6th to defend the fact that it is not illegal to rescue a bird that is injured and suffering because it has been shot by hunters, and that these illegalities can be reported and exposed by everyone rather than be silenced.”

Mr Barbara is one of a number of BirdLife activists that have been charged with illegally handling protected species in a malicious prosecution forced on the authorities through the actions of the FKNK, hunters’ federation.

Closing the press conference, Mr Sultana said, “the FKNK are trying to conceal the abuse of hunting rules that take place by hunters, even in areas supposedly managed by themselves such as Mizieb. BirdLife Malta will continue to expose these abuses until they stop once and for all.”

Photo by BLM: Common cuckoo on vet table, 22 April. BirdLife Malta.The bird was found by a member of the public at Mizieb woodland, and was confirmed as suffering from an open fracture to its wing as a result of gunshot injury from a veterinarian.

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