BirdLife Malta have sent an open letter to the Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela following what it said was “the massacre of 40 protected birds over the Maltese Islands during the past two days with enforcement practically non existent, and Police stating that they have no resources.”

The eNGO has demanded that the hunting season should remain closed till the 15th of October.

BirdLife Malta explained that two large flocks of Black Kites arrived on the Maltese Islands on Monday and Tuesday.

In Gozo, on Tuesday evening a flock of 28 were seen coming in and circling around the Ramla Bay valley. BirdLife Malta said that “hunters were aiming their guns on these magnificent birds.”

“When contacted to report this, the Gozo Police explained that they had no resources to be on site.” BirdLife Malta stated that, “this lack of law enforcement allowed the hunters to easily hunt down every single bird that tried to roost in the valley.”

BirdLife Malta in their letter to the Prime Minister stated:

“The situation of bird protection has not been as bad since the 1980s. The way hunters are being given all they desire and in the same time enforcement and regulations are weakened is not only shameful but also illegal. This goes against the legal obligations of Malta as an EU member state.

“We have written to the Prime Minister to remind him of this obligation and if Dr Robert Abela cannot reassure that illegal hunting will be fought against with strict enforcement and better laws then Malta should not have hunting seasons.

“The Prime Minister should immediately condemn what has happened. The least he could do is to suspend the opening of the hunting season till after 15th October to safeguard the migration of protected species like raptors and herons. This needs to be supported by law enforcement units present in the countryside to monitor those who are still willing to break the law.

“The hunters have proven once again that they have taken the Government as hostage. The people of Malta, whose majority are against hunting, deserve better and the Prime Minister should show he has not lost control over this lobby with immediate effect.” – Mark Sultana CEO BirdLife Malta.

In a fact sheet provided by BirdLife Malta, they said that apart from Gozo, other incidents were also:

• “Two large flocks of 40 Black Kites (Astun Iswed), a protected bird of prey, reached our islands.

• The hunting season is presently closed although many use the loophole of rabbit hunting season to roam the countryside with shotguns

• Flock of around 40 arrived on Monday 22nd August in the evening and tried to roost in the areas around Mtarfa and Mgarr.

• Hunters started shooting at the birds late the same evening and the Environment Protection Unit within the Police Force were unable to attend to the report. EPU function till 9pm. Hunters escaped with their catches

• During the night BirdLife Malta received reports of gunshots in the same area leading it to believe that the few remaining survivors were targeted once again.

• In fact on Tuesday 23rd August morning only some individual Black Kites were seen leaving the roost site. Gunshots were heard again and at that time EPU were present. A hunter was caught with his shotgun, although it seems he had no birds in his possession.”

• • Species targeted is the Black Kite (Astun Iswed in Maltese & scientific name: Milvus migrans) A protected species across Europe and Malta.

File photo: Black Kite by BirdLife/Aron Tanti

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