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Hunting spring season in Malta terminated as protected bird shot

Xinhua, April 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

After another protected bird was illegally shot on Monday by hunters, Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat announced that the spring hunting season will be immediately closed down.

The hunting spring season was opened on April 14, 2015 after 50.4 percent of the voters in a national referendum expressed themselves in favor of this. However, just a day after this concession was given, a hunter shot down a protected bird and soon after, the offense repeated itself by another hunter.

Muscat had warned that he would not tolerate abuse and he made it clear that this might be the last chance for the hunting community.

His decision became final when Monday, a kestrel was shot from outside a school ground and the bleeding bird crashed down in the yard whilst the children were playing, leaving some of them traumatized by this experience.

Those who had appealed for the hunting spring season to be banned during the referendum, showed their agreement with Muscat's resolution. On the other hand, though strongly condemning this criminal act, hunters insisted that a collective punishment was absolutely unfair.

The season was due to close on Thursday. Endit