Protected Black Stork Shot Down Near Buskett, BirdLife Reports
· Updated
In brief
- A highly protected black stork was shot down in the vicinity of Buskett on Monday afternoon.
- Conservation group BirdLife Malta reported that a second stork was feared to have been killed in the area.
- The organisation blamed an unchecked black market for taxidermy and criticised authorities over enforcement.
A rare and strictly protected black stork was shot down in the limits of Buskett on Monday afternoon, days after BirdLife Malta issued a warning over widespread illegal hunting.
BirdLife Malta confirmed the shooting of the migratory bird, adding that another black stork is feared to have been killed in the same locality during the incident.
Black storks are considered rare visitors to the Maltese archipelago and enjoy the highest level of legal protection under national and European conservation regulations.
The conservation group described the killing as part of an ongoing illegal targeting of rare migratory species that cross the central Mediterranean route.
BirdLife Malta strongly condemned the incident, asserting that the killing is driven by a lucrative illegal black market in stuffed protected birds.
The organisation argued that public authorities have failed to implement effective measures to curtail illegal taxidermy trade and called for strict enforcement to deter future hunting infractions.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. All outlets reported the shooting of the protected black stork consistently without notable framing differences.
Updates
- : Updated with reporting from Times of Malta and NET News: footage documented the black stork seeking refuge from stormy weather before being shot near the Buskett bird sanctuary.