The Committee Against Bird Slaughter on Thursday welcomed a court decision to hand “Malta’s worst poacher” a suspended sentence after he was caught with a large illegal collection of protected live birds.
The man admitted to most charges and was handed a one-year prison term suspended for two years and a fine of €1,000.
He was caught with a “huge” illegal collection of live protected birds on Septmber 20, 2022 after police responded to a report from CABS about illegal activities on a bird trapping site in Għaxaq.
When police inspected the site, they found the accused, an active clap-net and various aviaries full of live protected birds. Among the birds were 16 Green Sandpipers, 16 Common Sandpipers, 16 Wood Sandpipers, 13 Little Ringed Plovers, nine Little Stints, five Common Ringed Plovers and three Black-Winged Stilts.
CABS member with Red Throated Pipit Yellow Wegtail seized in Għaxaq. Photo: CABSOfficials from the government´s Wild Bird Regulation Unit (WBRU) were called to the scene and confirmed that most birds on site lacked any documentation or breeding-rings as required by law.
A total of 137 live protected birds as well as several stuffed bird trophies were confiscated.
CABS wildlife crime officer Fiona Burrows told the court this was “one of the largest illegal collections of live birds ever seized on the islands”.
CABS noted that the verdict reflects the fact that the man is a “notorious repeat offender” who had spent time in jail for the illegal shooting of protected Mute Swans in St Thomas Bay in January 2002.
Police confiscating the illegally held birds in September 2022. Photo: CABSThe accused and two of his cousins had used a speedboat to chase the exhausted birds, killing seven of them.
In April 2017 and August 2019, he was also reported by CABS staff for hunting during the closed season and for illegal trapping of protected waders.
“This man is without any doubt one of Malta´s worst poachers. We are very pleased that the court treated this case with the seriousness it deserved” CABS press officer Axel Hirschfeld said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the accused seems to be one of those who never learns. We hope that one day he will realise the damage he has caused to nature and himself and change his life for the better”.