After illegal hunting, FKNK offers reward for information

Hunters’ lobby FKNK has offered a reward for information leading to whoever illegally shot down protected birds during the autumn hunting season.

In a stern warning to hunters, FKNK secretary Lino Farrugia said the illegal hunting and trapping activity was causing “irreparable harm” to “genuine” hunters and trappers, and called anyone to come forward with any information that could lead to the prosecution of those guilty of illegal hunting.

The FKNK’s renewed warning to hunters comes just days after it threatened to suspend any hunters taken to court accused of a hunting-related criminal activity. The FKNK’s warning comes after several reports of illegal hunting of protected birds, with the number of illegally shot birds increasing, just two weeks into the autumn hunting season.

The illegal hunting has seen Birdlife Malta call on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to suspend the hunting season, a request which was rebuffed by the government as it claimed that it would only consider such requests if they were made by the Ornis Committee.

A number of protected birds have been shot in the past days, including two honey buzzards and two black storks. Volunteers of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) have also filmed numerous cases of poaching in the Buskett area and in Hal Far, including four cases of illegal shooting of protected birds, two cases of illegal trapping as well as the discovery of four dead protected birds.

Moreover, on Saturday, a swimmer said a group of hunters nearly killed him as they fired indiscriminately at three protected Honey Buzzards that were flying low by the sea, where he was swimming.

Steve Haston said the bullets kept flying despite him shouting at the hunters. After swimming to safety, he recouped the body of one of the birds hit by the bullets, which however later died.

The incident was reported to the police.

Birdwatchers have also discovered a freshly killed Cuckoo as well as three stuffed protected birds which were disposed in an old ditch near Hal Far.

The trophies include a Purple Heron, a Roller, a Short Eared Owl and a Golden Oriole – species which are strictly protected on Malta and may not be shot. All four birds were collected by the police.

Also at Hal Far a Grey Heron with severe shotgun injuries on wings and legs was filmed by the birdwatchers.

CABS said that it reported two large illegal cage trap installations to the police. The traps were found in the valley between Buskett and Tal Virtu and contained 13 live Turtle Doves, six Starlings and nine protected songbirds.