Hunting, hunting, hunting everywhere.... birds are animals, too.

Protected bird shot down
by Chris Galea - cgal@di-ve.com
Local News -- 19 December 2007 -- 16:35CEST
A protected bird with severe visible gunshot wounds was delivered to BirdLife Malta’s office on Wednesday, the NGO reported. The black-headed gull had suffered severe injuries and the vet had no other option but to euthanize the bird.

“The young black-headed gull brought in today is the latest victim of poachers in Malta and is only one of the many shot protected birds BirdLife continues to receive,” Conservation Manager of BirdLife Malta, Dr André Raine explained.

“The bird was brought in by an ex-hunter who was disgusted with the current lack of respect shown by some hunters to the law.

“In any other country, no self-respecting hunter would be so cowardly as to shoot at a seagull, yet here in Malta now that the migration is over some hunters are shooting at anything that has the misfortune to fly past them,” Dr Raine went on.

The bird is the latest victim to be allegedly shot down by poachers, as BirdLife Malta claimed that it received more than 30 protected birds at its office this autumn.