Update: Rare bird illegally shot at Salina over the weekend – BLM

by Gozo News · May 28, 2018

Update with reaction from KSU below – BirdLife Malta has reported that an Avocet, a beautiful and rare wader, was illegally shot over the weekend at Salina.

It said that “this is despite being a highly protected species and being in a supposedly protected area, during the closed season.”

In a statement, BLM said that the protected Avocet, a very scarce and irregular migrant, spent last week at Ghadira and Salina Nature Reserves before being shot in the middle of the night over the weekend.

It was observed first at BirdLife Malta’s Ghadira Nature Reserve on the 20th of May and then at Salina Nature Reserve. Both Ghadira and Salina are Natura 2000 sites and protected bird sanctuaries.

The Avocet was first sighted at Ghadira early in the morning where it could also be enjoyed by members of the public and families who visited BirdLife Malta’s reserve during that weekend.

BLM said that after spending a few days at the reserve, on Wednesday 23rd May the Avocet left and was photographed flying over the Tas-Safra area on the coast road before settling at Salina Nature Reserve where it was shot during the night between Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May.

It had been monitored day and night while it was at BirdLife Malta’s Ghadira Nature Reserve. When it flew to Salina, although BirdLife Malta kept monitoring as much as possible, BirdLife said that, “the fact that the site is fully accessible at all times made this bird more prone to be shot.”

“Some time between the late hours of Saturday and the early hours of Sunday the bird was shot by somebody who either entered the reserve in the middle of the night to commit the illegal act or opened fire on the protected species from the perimeter of the saltpans,” stated BirdLife.

BirdLife Malta was made aware by members of the public that gunshots were heard in the area and the police were immediately informed.

“At that point the bird was seen dead floating in the water and BirdLife Malta staff then retrieved it from the water early yesterday morning.”

It said that the bird’s carcass was taken to the Government vet who confirmed that the Avocet was illegally shot.

Some Avocets winter in the Mediterranean and others in Africa. In Malta it is sometimes seen in spring, autumn and even in winter. It is mainly seen in singles or couples, but sometimes small flocks are also recorded migrating offshore.

BirdLife Malta said this species (Pied Avocet) is protected at law under Annex 1 of the European Birds Directive, and as a result under Maltese law killing this species is punishable by a €5,000 fine.

BirdLife Malta argued that, “the lack of enforcement and the slacking of regulatory procedures by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) concerning taxidermy, including inspections of private collections, is resulting in an increase in the number of shot protected birds for taxidermy purposes, as seems to be the case of this Avocet.”

Update – KSU condemns shooting

In a statement this evening, Kaccaturi San Ubertu (KSU) has condemned the shooting of an Avocet called on the authorities to investigate the case thoroughly.

The organisation said that its members have been following the bird since they 20th May, and continued all week, but when they went again in the morning of Sunday to Salina it could not be seen.

KSU added that it had learned of a report of shots during the evening at around 10pm at Salina.

It urged the Police to take all the necessary steps and investigate to find any witnesses and maybe CCTV footage of the area, and called on the judiciary “to show no mercy should any perpetrators be found.”

KSU concluded by commending the “exemplary behaviour of the majority of the hunting community who followed and photographed the bird during its stay, as photos in several social media can prove, and hopes that those poachers who persist in breaking the law are brought to justice.”