Highly protected Black Stork shot near prime minister’s official summer residence

The environmental NGO, Birdlife, has announced it has recovered a young Black Stork which was shot on Wednesday morning near the prime minister’s official summer residence at Girgenti.

The bird had severe injuries and was recovered from a reservoir near the former Inquisitor’s palace. It had been shot by hunters operating illegally in the area.

The bird was part of a small flock that was first spotted over Gozo. Another Black Stork was reportedly shot over Ta’ Ċenċ in Gozo.

The Black Stork, officially called Ciconia Nigra, is a rare visitor to Malta, Birdlife said. It is a protected species according to Maltese law, given the highest protection according to Annex  I of the EU Birds’ Directive.

Birdlife’s Head of Conservation, Nick Barbara, blamed two amnesties given in the past years by the Labour and Nationalist administrations which remained largely unverified.

The first amnesty was granted by a Labour administration in 1997 and the hunters declared 240,000 taxidermy birds. The second amnesty was granted by the Nationalist administration in 2003 and yielded a further 282,000 taxidermy birds. In total half a million birds.

The numbers were never verified and hunters concluded they could go on hunting.

Furthermore, the enforcement authorities are severely under-manned.

Birdlife CEO Mark Sultana appealed to Prime Minister Robert Abela to take steps to curtail this widespread illegality.

                           

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Joseph Tabone Adami
Joseph Tabone Adami
15 days ago

It seems that ‘scientific research’ by the avian specialists of the FKNK is not limited only to finches and turtle-doves, but is expected to expand to other and much rarer species.

KLAUS
KLAUS
15 days ago

I sincerely hope that this rare Black Stork will not be shot for research purposes.

Joseph Tabone Adami
Joseph Tabone Adami
14 days ago
Reply to  KLAUS

“Hope springs eternal” – but not with feathered creatures!

Joseph
Joseph
14 days ago

Research my ass, more like search and shoot, bustards!

makjavel
makjavel
14 days ago

The harbinger of baby deliveries on congratulations cards , shot down.
This country’s hunters culture is shitty to say the least.

Joseph Markham
Joseph Markham
14 days ago

A country ruled by impunity…

jingo
jingo
14 days ago

Many wouldn’t even understand that these birds are actually awaited by other people on the other side of Europe. On one side everyone gets excited that they nest on the pole next to one’s house and over here they are shot just for the kicks of it. Yes, Malta has a shitty mentality.

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