Man Handed Lifetime Hunting Ban and Fined €5,000 for Killing Black Stork
· Updated
In brief
- Dean Cauchi admitted in court to shooting and killing a protected Black Stork near Buskett.
- The court imposed a lifetime hunting ban, a €5,000 fine, and a one-year jail term suspended for two years.
- Police investigators traced and identified the hunter with the assistance of CCTV footage.
A hunter has received a lifetime ban from hunting and a €5,000 fine after admitting to shooting and killing a highly protected Black Stork near Buskett.
Dean Cauchi was arraigned on Saturday, where he formally registered an admission of guilt to the environmental crime.
In addition to the financial penalty and the permanent revocation of his hunting licence, the court handed Cauchi a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Investigators were able to establish Cauchi's identity and link him to the incident after reviewing CCTV footage captured in the vicinity of the shooting.
The bird was targeted near Buskett, a major woodland area that serves as a vital resting site for migratory birds passing over the Maltese islands.
The Black Stork is an exceptionally rare visitor to Malta and is subject to strict international and domestic conservation protections, which carry severe penalties for poaching.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. Both outlets reported the court proceedings and penalties consistently, relying on the same factual details.
Updates
- : Updated with reporting from The Malta Independent on the magistrate's sentencing and lifetime licence revocation.