Another protected bird confirmed shot

On Tuesday afternoon volunteers of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter(CABS)  found a dead swift (rudun in Maltese) close to the Xrobb L-Għaġin Nature Park in Delimara.

The bird which is strictly protected was brought to a vet who confirmed that it was killed with a shotgun. An X-ray shows that the cause of death was a lead pellet which penetrated the bird´s belly from below.

The bird which was passed on to the police’s ALE unit this morning is the second protected bird which was found shot during this year´s spring hunting season. 

Last Monday officers of the Administrative Law Enforcement – Malta´s environmental police – found an injured male Marsh Harrier on a countryside lane close to Bidnija. The harrier was also found to have been injured by lead pellets and was brought to a rehab center.

In view of the fact that last year´s spring hunting season was prematurely  closed after a hunter shot down a Kestrel  CABS called upon the government to stick to its zero tolerance  politic and close the season with immediate effect. “If the season will remain open the Prime Minister has to put up with the accusation that he is applying double standards”, CABS General Secretary Alexander Heyd said.