New video shows shooting at protected harriers

Bird guards from the Campaign Against Bird Slaughter assisted the police units in the ALE in finding and removing illegal bird callers and nets for bird trapping over the past two nights.

The joint action, which CABS dubbed 'Operation Silent Night', resulted in the removal and confiscation of a total of 11 electronic lures and 2 large nets in Maghtab, Gharghur, Naxxar, Mgarr, Bingemma, Zebbiegh and Cirkewwa.

CABS praised the ALE officers for their professional work and their help in removing the illegal devices. “It's only a shame that the authorities gave green light for the joint operation only two days before the end of the hunting season. The result is that only 11 out of a three-figure number of bird callers mapped by our teams have been deactivated," CABS press officer Axel Hirschfeld said.

A video uploaded on the CABS Youtube channel shows CABS members and ALE officers during their night-time work. The film also shows the shooting at protected Marsh Harriers last Thursday in Selmun as well as a large cage trap full with illegally caught Turtle Doves.