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Storks have long been considered a prize catch on the island even though they were added to the list of protected birds in 1980, according to a veteran ornithologist who says rebel hunters must learn to follow the rules. At least four protected white storks wWhen killing storks was considered a prize catch
Storks have long been considered a prize catch on the island even though they were added to the list of protected birds in 1980, according to a veteran ornithologist who says rebel hunters must learn to follow the rules. At least four protected white storks were shot down on Friday, just a few hours after landing on the island. A 41-year-old man from Dingli was arraigned over the weekend and charged with killing three of them. Other storks were reported shot this week. Another two were gunned down on Wednesday. The dead birds formed part of a flock of about 25 that landed close to Mtarfa and later flew towards Dingli just before dark. Photos of a dead stork left behind by a fleeing hunter went viral on social media, with many questioning how one could point a gun on such a magnificent bird. Ornithologist Natalino Fenech said that, not so long ago, the shooting of rare birds made headlines in Malta, but not in the way one might expect. “Shooting down such a bird made you the talk of the town. You would be featured in a newspaper and might even make it to the 8 o’clock TV news. Today, it features in the news but as a tragedy,” he said. “In no way am I making excuses for those... Read more