Dark Portfolio Finalists | Nature Infocus
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In the last 30 years, there has been a 40 per cent decline in long-distance migrants using the African-Eurasian Flyway. It is estimated that 11-36 million birds are killed/captured illegally every year across the Mediterranean. Malta, which is a vital stop-over site for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, has one of the highest densities of hunters per sq. km.

The photostory highlights the necessary conservation efforts of Birdlife Malta but also showcases a traditional Maltese hunter. The aim here is to draw attention to the illegal persecution of avians and the urgent need for rules and regulations to ensure their protection. However, it is also crucial to consider law-abiding hunters who have traditionally hunted for food (not for monetary purposes) and are being tainted by illegal practitioners.


Birdlife Malta volunteers in mobile watch stations
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Birdlife Malta's annual raptor camp relies on eagle-eyed volunteers to spot and report illegal hunting activities. An abundance of volunteers enables Birdlife to deploy large teams in the field. Some years, field teams can be stretched, especially during the pandemic. To overcome this, teams used automobiles as mobile watch stations, allowing them to cover a larger area of hunting hotspots and to respond swiftly.
Traditional Maltese hunters
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A traditional Maltese hunter stands proud, holding a European Turtle-Dove he shot (legally), a quarry treasured by many hunters. The Maltese have hunted the turtle-dove during spring and autumn since time immemorial. Across the Mediterranean, an estimated 0.34-0.87 million European Turtle-Doves are killed every year. In 2017, a spring moratorium was implemented to protect the dove's globally declining population. It not only angered the Maltese, leaving many feeling that their traditional way of life was threatened, but also caused a rise in illegal persecution.
Shotgun cartridges in Malta
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In Malta's countryside, shotgun cartridges scattered around hunter hides are a common sight.
Lesser Kestrel hunted in Malta
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A dead Lesser Kestrel was found in an area regarded as an illegal hunting hotspot. Since much of the land in Malta is private, it is rare to find a wounded or dead bird. It suggests that the official records of the number of illegally killed birds is vastly underestimated.
European Honey-buzzard rescued by Birdlife Malta
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This adult European Honey-buzzard was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the spring of 2020. The image captures the release of the bird by Birdlife after months of nurturing it back to health. To ensure its safe return to Africa, the bird was fitted with a satellite tracker. Most of the honey-buzzards that pass over the archipelago of Malta are juveniles, making a bird in full adult plumage a rare visitor. Unfortunately, it is common for a rare migrant or a rare morph of a species to be highly prized by poachers, making them prime targets.
Greater Flamingo rescued by Birdlife Malta
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Highly prized by poachers, the Greater Flamingo is a regular visitor to the archipelago of Malta. The juvenile pictured here was nurtured back to health at a Birdlife rehabilitation facility before being released at the Ghadira Nature Reserve. Cordoned off and protected from poachers, the Ghadira Nature Reserve offers migratory birds a haven to rest before they continue their long migratory journeys.