Be the first to comment!Illegal shooting of turtle-doves “particularly rampant in Gozo” – BirdLife
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BirdLife Malta has said in a statement that “with the first signs of turtle-dove migration over Malta this spring, immediate reports by the public started coming in regarding illegal hunting of this protected bird all over the Maltese Islands.”
According to the NGO, the illegal shooting of turtle-doves “was particularly rampant in Gozo.” Some stated they witnessed protected birds including European turtle-doves being “shot down,” with an incident in Ghasri, Gozo making the rounds on social media.
BirdLife Malta said that yesterday it was “inundated with calls from the general public about rampant illegal hunting, this less than one week on from the start of the season.”
The NGO’s teams have documented at least two incidents of hunters shooting down protected turtle-doves and reported these to the police, it said.
“We also received a protected Common Cuckoo with gunshot injuries. While there was never a doubt that the spring hunting derogation for Common Quail during the peak migration of turtle-dove was an intentional smokescreen, the incidents of illegal hunting witnessed with the first signs of turtle-dove migration mean that the European Commission will not have much choice but to proceed with the legal infringements against this derogation.”
BirdLife Malta said that it will be documenting all these incidents to submit a report to the European Commissioner for the Environment Virginijus Sinkevicius for further action.
“We thank the general public for their care and support in reporting these incidents and urge everyone to document any illegal hunting they witness including hunters stationary in their hunting hides waiting for turtle-doves, hunters with turtle-dove decoys or any shot protected bird, and to immediately report these to police (Environmental Protection Unit, EPU) on 119 and to BirdLife Malta on 7925 5697,” it said.
Photographs and video by BirdLife Malta – Shot Turtle-dove Ghasri, Gozo; Shot Common Cuckoo Victoria Lines and Illegal hunting of turtle-dove Mtahleb
