BirdLife laments reduction in police officers monitoring hunting season

BirdLife Malta says illegal hunting is “revving up” as it laments the reduction in police officers tasked to monitor the autumn hunting season.

The bird conservation group said the police force’s Environmental Protection Unit, which numbers only 15 officers, will not be boosted this year with additional officers.

The autumn hunting season opened on 1 September and runs until 31 January. The peak bird migration events are expected over the coming days.

“Whereas in past years, officer numbers were boosted to be able to field a stronger police presence at a time when the migration of various protected species peaks on the Maltese islands, this year such numbers will not be boosted,” BirdLife said.

It added that a maximum of only 1 or 2 police units specialized on hunting matters shall be operative on Malta, while Gozo will be largely unsupervised.

“On the island of Gozo, environmental specialized units are non-existent, with most of the police force expected to be taken up at policing school traffic during morning hours, while hunting is left largely uncontrolled on the sister island,” BirdLife said.

The group noted that in the first couple of weeks of the autumn hunting season several episodes of illegal hunting were detected.

“The political will to curtail illegal hunting remains stagnated. With the migration of various European protected species over Malta expected to peak in the coming days, a low police presence shall only translate in further uncontrolled and illegal hunting,” BirdLife said.