The spring hunting season – which is supposedly open only for the hunting of Quail (Summiena) – will run from the 10th to the 30th April (both dates included), meaning that the dates were extended further towards the end of the month when compared to last year.
BirdLife Malta stated that this effectively means that this year’s will be an open season for the hunting of Turtle Dove (Gamiema) since the dates clearly overlap onto the peak migration period of the red-listed Turtle Dove during the last two weeks of April.
“As from today hunting is permitted from two hours before sunrise till 12pm every day of the season. The national season quota was set at 5,000 Quail – both the daily quota and the individual season quota have been removed”.
The statement said that a total of 7,647 hunters applied for the hunting licence (6,395 registered hunters in Malta, 1,252 in Gozo).
BirdLife Malta will be monitoring the hunting season with the aim of reporting and documenting the killing of protected species, especially the Turtle Dove.
Photo: Circulated by BirdLife Malta
