Lesser spotted eagle shot in Malta as illegal bird hunt continues

In addition to the Lesse Spotted Eagle, two further Honey buzzards, both dead, were handed in to the Birdlife raptor camp on Malta. Credit Birdlife Malta

Rare Eagle Shot Down at Hagar Qim

September 2009. BirdLife Malta's Raptor Camp teams have witnessed the shooting of yet another protected species, this time a Lesser Spotted Eagle. The conservation organisation has released footage of a suspect with a shotgun in the middle of the road scanning for the eagle, who ran away after noticing the BirdLife team.

The Eagle, a rare visitor to Malta, was first seen landing at Girgenti by three different raptor camp teams. The Eagle left Girgenti shortly after and headed south-east. Several raptor camp teams and the Law Administration & Enforcement Police (ALE) was alerted as the rare Eagle was being followed by numerous suspicious individuals, some watching the bird and communicating with radios and mobiles while others chased the bird in their vehicles.

Raptor camp observers then witnessed the bird being shot at from three different locations. The Eagle was last seen flying low near Blue Grotto where it was finally shot. Birdwatchers saw the Eagle through their binoculars struggling to gain height, and it flew on towards the Hagar Qim temples, where it was shot three more times and dropped behind the ridge. Two ALE teams arrived at the scene shortly after.

Before the Eagle was killed in Hagar Qim a Raptor Camp team that was following the bird saw an individual standing in the road with a shotgun scanning the sky at Zurrieq. The poacher saw the Raptor Camp team and ran back to his car, reversing right past the team, narrowly missing their car and sped off. His accomplice was left behind and jumped into the bushes.

Arrest made
The whole event was filmed by the team and footage was passed onto the ALE as evidence. BirdLife was informed by the police yesterday evening that the individual filmed at Zurrieq had been arrested and a shotgun and cartridges were found in his possession.

Birdwatchers hope birds pass by
"Every year protected birds are being gunned down by poachers during their migration. When there is a very rare visitor like this eagle, we end up with a shooting frenzy as we witnessed yesterday. Malta is probably the only country in the world where birdwatchers do not want to see rare protected birds but instead hope that they pass the island by" said Dr. Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager.

Previous arrest led to 4300 Euro fine
Last year on September 27th another Lesser Spotted Eagle was shot and killed in Buskett bird sanctuary. A Raptor Camp team had filmed the poacher stashing the dead Eagle under a rusty barrel by the side of the road. The poacher and his accomplice were arrested by the ALE shortly after BirdLife reported the crime to the police. On 3rd June 2009 they were found guilty and fined a total of 4,300euro for the crime.

400 illegal activities witnessed in 2 weeks
In September 2007 another Lesser Spotted Eagle was found injured suffering gunshot wounds. The Eagle was identified as Sigmar, one of 16 Lesser Spotted Eagle chicks which had been hand reared as part of conservation project in Germany. At the time of the shooting Sigmar was three months old. Sigmar was transported to Germany as the facilities for the bird's rehabilitation were not sufficient in Malta. On the 7th December 2007 the bird had to be put down as a result of an infection in its shattered shin bone.

Hunting after 3pm between 15 and 30 September is banned as a measure to protect migratory birds of prey. BirdLife Malta alone has received 14 shot protected birds since the 17th September when migration picked up. Raptor Camp teams have also witnessed over 400 illegal hunting and trapping activities since the beginning of the camp. BirdLife will be releasing a report about the findings of Raptor Camp in the coming weeks.

To see the footage please visit www.birdlifemalta.org