Updated | At least 10 eagles shot down over Buskett

At least 10 protected eagles were shot down when they tried to find shelter at Buskett, BirdLife said. The NGO explained that 10 Booted Eagles were known to be shot on Wednesday, while three more shootings were reported by the public.

The government was quick to condemn the shootings of the rare birds over Buskett, describing the act as "barbaric."

It seems that 37 eagles were spotted in Buskett, Rabat late Wednesday afternoon and BirdLife immediately went to the area, but hunters spotted them too and word spread fast.

While appealing to hunters, activists and the public to cooperate, parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes said that the criminal act was being investigated and perpetrators would face the full brunt of the law. The hunters' federation joined in the chorus of dissaproval and described it as "atrocious in its consequence, both on wildlife and on the effect it will have on legal hunting. Very little can be said about this incident, except that, not everyone who carries a gun is a hunter, in the same way as not everyone who carries a knife is a killer."

A BirdLife spokesperson said that upon receiving the reports, police reinforcements arrived at Buskett. The shootings happened in the areas surrounding Buskett, primarily in Siggiewi, Dingli and Zebbug

Eight police vehicles were present in Buskett carrying out spot checks on passing cars, however it is not yet known whether any suspects where identified.

Meanwhile, the Government announced that on Friday it will be amending the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations to introduce harsher penalties for all forms of serious hunting-related offences.

Minimum fines for serious hunting offences such as for shooting protected birds or poaching in a bird sanctuary have been doubled, both for first and subsequent convictions, while the maximum fines have been increased, with €15,000 being the maximum applicable fine for repeat offenders.

The new regime also envisages imprisonment for a period of between six months and up to two years, suspension of hunting license for a period of between two and five years (with the possibility for permanent revocation), as well as confiscation, and the possibility of mandatory community service.

In parallel with the increase in penalties for serious hunting offences, a new, more effective system for dealing with minor infringements is also being introduced.

In order to strengthen deterrent against illegal targeting of protected birds even further, the government has included 10 further bird species within a new schedule, which will effectively ensure that any crimes committed in relation to these birds will be liable to the same increased levels of penalty that would apply to crimes committed against birds already enjoying the highest level of legal protection (schedule I birds).

Galdes said the amendment constitutes "the most comprehensive revision of hunting legislation in Malta since the transposition of the EC Birds Directive into Maltese law in 2006".

The new regulations also contain a plethora of other revisions, which, amongst other, clarify and rectify a number of technical discrepancies arising out of the present regulations, particularly those concerning licensing and Carnet de Chasse.

The regulations also provide legal basis for the functioning of the newly-established Wild Birds Regulation Unit, and generally raise the standard of hunting governance by stipulating, for example, the minimum standards that a hunting organisation must fulfill in order to be recognised for the purpose of these regulations.

 "The traditional socio-cultural practice of hunting and live-capturing of wild birds in Malta must respect the principle of sustainability if it is to persist. This is why zero-tolerance policy in relation to wildlife crime is the only way forward. Barbaric criminal acts, such as the one that occurred today have no place in the modern society. This is why a more effective legal deterrent against illegalities is not an end in itself, but a means to guarantee not only the protection of wildlife, but also sustainability of legitimate hunting activities", the parliamentary secretary said.

Meanwhile, the Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK) said that the incident could "jeopardise" all efforts to control hunting in Malta.

It said the shootings came at a time when government is intent on revising local legislation including but not limited to the revision of fines and penalties laid down in legislation in respect of various levels of wrongdoings.

Moreover, it said the incident came at a time when the FKNK has started to see results in the field and reap some of the benefits that come with credibility.

"This incident comes at a time when the collaboration of the FKNK with the local authorities was reaching the stage whereby the legal hunter was starting to regain the respect he/she deserves. This incident comes at a time when dealings with the European Commission are at a crucial stage that could see an overall improvement for the legal hunter and trapper in an ensemble of legal practice and self-control."

FKNK noted that the incident could "jeopardise all these efforts and throw away years of work and months of incessant fine-tuning to the local system to bring it in line with and even exceed the expectations of Commission whilst allowing an acceptable hunting and trapping scenario in the Maltese islands."

Noting that this was an isolated incident, FKNK described it as "atrocious in its consequence, both on wildlife and on the effect it will have on legal hunting. Very little can be said about this incident, except that, not everyone who carries a gun is a hunter, in the same way as not everyone who carries a knife is a killer."

The hunters' federation said the next step was that of identifying and expelling "these outcasts and diehards who do not deserve to own a hunting licence and who have no place in a civilised hunting community."

FKNK said its members are already alert and intent on seeking information that can lead to the arraignment of these criminals.