“The opening of the spring hunting season tomorrow at such a delicate time, is unfair towards the population who has come together to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” BirdLife Malta has said in a statement.

“Apart from this injustice,” BirdLife Malta went on to say that it “reminds the Government that “spring hunting is against the EU Birds Directive for the simple reason that birds flying to their breeding grounds should be protected, not shot.”

The eNGO stated “whilst the Maltese and Gozitan people are being asked to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, one minuscule section representing 1% of the population will from tomorrow be allowed to roam the countryside and shoot birds.”

BLM argued that the “Covid-19 situation has also put a lot of strain on the Police Force and one seriously doubts how much the Government can afford the necessary amount of enforcement officers to control the hunting situation in spring as requested by law.”

It pointed out that the Government will need to deploy around 35 police officers in Malta and another seven in Gozo to work during the hunting hours which are from two hours before sunrise until noon.

BirdLife Malta said that it has already communicated with the European Commission about this issue along with the fact that once again the Government has chosen the dates of spring hunting for Quail to coincide with the peak migratory season of the vulnerable Turtle-dove.According to BLM, “the season which will open this Friday and runs until the 30th of April, is designed as a smokescreen for hunters to shoot at the protected Turtle-dove along with a number of other protected birds.”

It lamented that “the lack of enforcement and lack of discipline by the hunters themselves augurs only another spring massacre with many illegally shot protected birds.”

Since the closure of the last hunting season BirdLife Malta said that together with Police, they have already received “21 known illegally shot protected birds. ”

“All these were shot down during the closed season, with the latest being two Common Kestrels, including one in Kercem, Gozo, a Lesser Kestrel and even a Barn Swallow – all shot down during the last weekend, as can be seen in the video being released today,” BirdLife said.

Footage of a protected Purple Heron being shot at by hunters over Xrobb l-Ghagin last Sunday is also being released, BLM said, “which continues to prove the extent of rampant illegal hunting going on in the countryside during the closed season.”

BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager Nicholas Barbara said, “in view of this we will strive to be a deterrent to illegalities and our Spring Watch camp will focus on particular areas known to be hotspots for illegalities.”

He added, “while visiting various areas in the countryside we will be in constant touch with police. We clearly need their cooperation as much as they need ours. We also need the general public to report any illegalities they witness to police on 119 and to us on 7925 5697.”

BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana added, “the spring hunting season should never be opened for various conservation reasons, however this year the pandemic crisis just adds another relevant reason.”

He went on to say, “to make things worse we have a Prime Minister who considers the hunting lobby as a privileged section of society, even when hunting itself is already a privilege. All this means that we need to work harder and we are calling on the general public to support us now more than ever.”

Sultana concluded by saying, “we are grateful to the independent media, to civil society in general and to many personal contributors even close to the Labour Party who have expressed their disapproval about this decision. We urge others to stand up and be counted and to the general public to join us in this fight to safeguard our natural heritage.”

Photos: Top – Shot Common Kestrel found by a member of the public in Kercem on
Sunday: below from left – Shot Common Kestrel found at Bahrija last Saturday; Shot Barn Swallow recovered last Saturday from Zejtun and Shot Lesser Kestrel recovered from Mtarfa last Sunday.Video footage showing the most recent four illegal hunting casualties recovered over the weekend, together with a protected Purple Heron being shot at by hunters at Xrobb l-Ghagin – Photos and video by BirdLife Malta

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