Lifetime Ban & €5,000 Fine For Hunter Who Shot Down Black Stork

The individual who shot a Black Stork earlier this year during a closed hunting season has received a lifetime ban and thousands of euros in a fine.

The Malta Ranger Unit and BirdLife Malta hailed the decision, with the former stating that the same offender had been reported on the 4th of March for the illegal usage of Great spotted cuckoo electronic callers in Buskett’s Natura2000 site.

When police arrived, they confiscated the caller and the shotgun fitted with a silencer. Further searches led to a collection of illegal taxidermy and bird carcasses being confiscated, as well as two more shotguns.

‘That successful case happened after over 5 cases of various hunting illegalities were reported by us to the police during 2025 on the same land’, said the rangers.

‘This shows the impunity we have in Malta, where poachers who time after time breach the law, still continue to hunt with the mindset that the chance of getting caught is minimal.’

‘Considering that the same person is also awaiting other court judgements for hunting during the closed season and targeting other protected species, it is clear that such individuals cannot be trusted with a hunting licence’, said BirdLife Malta. ‘Nor should they be allowed to retain membership of any hunting organisation that claims to have zero tolerance for illegalities.’

#MaltaDaily