BirdLife Malta has said that flocks of herons were sighted in various localities across the Maltese Islands between between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, “which were being targeted by hunters.”
Writing on Facebook, BirdLife Malta stated that, “as police presence keeps being minimal while bird migration is kicking off, those legally licensed to be out for the ongoing rabbit hunting season keep causing damage unabated.”
BirdLife said that an injured Purple Heron was picked up under the cliffs of Xlendi at sea “after the bird was shot down along the Gozo coast.”
The bird was examined by vets and BirdLife Malta said that they confirmed that “the Purple Heron had been shot with its body riddled with pellets.”
On Thursday morning, the NGO also picked up a Common Swift from Marsaskala, which was suffering from a broken wing. “Even this migratory bird was confirmed as shot by the vets,” BirdLife said.
This follows what BirdLife described as the “massacre of at least 40 protected Black Kites [1] in 2 flocks over the Maltese Islands earlier this week, including 28 in Gozo, with Police in Gozo stating that they have no resources.”
BirdLife Malta concluded that, “whilst our open letter to the Prime Minister hasn’t received any official response, the upcoming opening of the hunting season on the 1st September can only augur a worsening scenario for Europe’s migratory birds.”
The eNGO has demanded in the letter that the hunting season should remain closed till the 15th of October.
Photos: BirdLife Malta