Three White Storks that were part of a group of eighteen that visited Malta today were shot down, Birdlife Malta said.

The birds were first spotted in Gozo and then later on in Malta in Rabat and Mdina. “At one point a member of the public witnessed a hunter shooting down three of the storks,” the group said in a Facebook post.

“Two were collected but when the hunter realised he was being watched he left the third one behind. The Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) police unit was informed over 30 minutes ago, yet till now there has been no response while Rabat police officers are monitoring a smaller flock from these 18 that have rested in the limits of Żebbuġ.” 

Birdlife Malta called on the public to keep an eye out on Saturday and inform it and the police of any illegal hunting on protected birds.