BirdLife Malta has called on the Prime Minister “to get enforcement in order,” following the killing of four protected White Storks within hours of arriving in Malta.

In a statement BirdLife said that this was “not an isolated incident and shows the extent of widespread illegal hunting.”

“For years BirdLife Malta had called on the Prime Minister to set up a wildlife crime unit and it said that the reluctance to implement this was incomprehensible,” it said.

The NGO continued by saying that, “it is ironic that at the moment, WBRU and Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri are proposing a change in the law on wild rabbit hunting that starts from 1st June. They want to allow hunting to be done wherever the hunter pleased rather than stating the exact private land on which the hunter will hunt.”

“This weakens the law and will allow it to be a stronger smokescreen than what it is presently,” said BirdLife, “Due to this wild rabbit season, hunters could easily target protected birds”

BirdLife Malta called on the Ornis committee not to allow the law to shoot wild rabbits to be amended and weakened.

BLM said that in the coming weeks hundreds of birds of prey would be migrating over Malta and once again the authorities would be asked “to get their act in order.”

Mark Sultana said that the idea of “self-regulation had failed and that the Prime Minister had the obligation to act fast.” He added it would be reporting the incidents to its partners abroad.

“BLM council will be meeting urgently to see what appropriate actions we should take, but the killing of a white stork, a bird linked with motherhood and good luck, was a scandal and shameful,” he said.

Photograph by BirdLife Malta

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