BirdLife Malta unequivocally condemns the brutal act documented today, where a protected Common Kestrel (Spanjulett) was killed in a cruel and revolting manner. While we have long stated that hunting and trapping wild birds is inherently cruel, what we witnessed today goes far beyond that.
This is not an isolated incident. It once again exposes a deeply troubling reality of individuals who believe they hold absolute power over our natural wildlife – power they abuse to the point of crushing birds under their feet until they die. This is cruelty in its purest form. It is not only a conservation issue, but also a serious animal welfare concern that should shock society as a whole.
We call on the entire nation to stand up and express its disgust. This includes the tens of thousands who may feel distant from political decisions that continuously accommodate the hunting and trapping lobby. Malta has reached a point where respect for nature and basic decency towards wildlife are eroding before our eyes.
Let us be clear: this is not tradition. This is not science. This is nothing but cruelty, driven by unrestrained egoism and a distorted sense of entitlement.
Today’s incident strips away any greenwashing attempts by the hunting lobby, which in recent years has tried to portray itself as a community of animal lovers. The reality speaks for itself: protected birds are being brutally killed, even Barn Owls – species they claim to be reintroducing – are being shot by hunters from within the same lobby, while members within their ranks, including council members, have been found breaking the law by both local and foreign courts.
What happened today is not only a symptom of lack of enforcement, but a direct result of a lobby that has been emboldened by Maltese politicians to the extent that it now feels it can act with impunity.
Malta deserves better. Our wildlife deserves protection, respect, and dignity – not brutality.
BirdLife Malta fully supports the work of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and the Malta Ranger Unit.
Read our press release in Maltese here.