Hunters condemn flamingo shooting

St Hubert's Hunters association (KSU) unreservedly condemned the recent shooting of a flamingo in Gozo.

KSU insisted that the perpetrators "can only be considered as delinquents, and certainly not as hunters."

The association added that once prosecuted, these hunters should be stripped of their hunting licences for life, the weapon used in the crime confiscated, the highest fines imposed on them as applicable by the law and jail time if they are relapsers.

"KSU wishes to point out that over a month ago, the Commissioner of Police reported he was waiting for the result of a forensic test before taking further action in the case of the Salina flamingo. Is the Commissioner not yet in a position to act on that 3-month old crime?" the hunters asked.

KSU also welcomed the recent announcement by the government regarding the increased enforcement and harsher punishments and once again reiterates that the proposed Wildlife Crime Unit should be set up without further delay.

Yesterday, a dead flamingo was discovered in a freezer during a police search mounted in Kercem, Gozo.

The discovery was made in relation to an investigation spurred by the slaying of a flamingo on 24 August, 2013, at about 6:15 p.m. in tal-Fessej, Xewkija. However, it turns out that the one found was slain on August 25, 2013, in the vicinity of Kerċem.

As a result, a fourth man, a 29-year-old who lives in Kerċem, was arrested as part of the same investigation, who is still ongoing since it is not being excluded that other flamingos were killed in the past days.

On August 27, 2013, three men were arrested, a 66-, 37- and 23-year-old who lives in Nadur, Għajnsielem and Żebbuġ, Gozo, respectively.