As spring hunting was brought abruptly to an end on Thursday, after the government put its foot down against illegal hunting, Armed Forces of Malta soldiers in Gozo arrested a hunter who was found in possession of two shot honey buzzards (kuccard).

AFM soldiers stationed at First Regiment’s Qortin Base camp in Nadur on Thursday were observing some six honey buzzards hovering at the bottom of the cliff face in the area of il-Qortin ta’ Isopu, on the northern tip of their camp fence line.

At around 8.30am, a series of gunshots were heard coming from the area, and two hunters were immediately noted by the soldiers.

One of these hunters put away a downed large bird, and escaped as the AFM soldiers converged onto the scene, an AFM statement said.

Subsequently, during a surveillance operation mounted in the area of Dahlet Qorrot Valley, the Qortin Base, soldiers apprehended a 20-year old man from Nadur with two shot honey buzzards in his sack.

The case was handed over to the Victoria police, and the matter is being investigated further.

The AFM said that although the hunting season has been terminated, it was expecting trapping to continue until Sunday – the day when the hunting season was meant to end too.

It said several injured or dead protected birds have been reported in several areas around Malta and Gozo since the hunting season started on 10 April.