Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/973467
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 25 APRIL 2018 MARIA PACE BIRDLIFE Malta yesterday re- leased exclusive footage which allegedly shows an FKNK "of- ficial" breaking the law dur- ing this year's spring hunting season. In a statement, the NGO said that the video shows Lawrence Vella, a Federation for Hunting and Conservation official on the hunting federation's sub- committee for Miżieb, shoot- ing at a protected turtle dove while hunting at Miżieb. BirdLife said that the area was not normally associated with quail, the only legally huntable species during the spring hunting season. The footage was filmed on 16 April and at one point, ac- cording to the bird conserva- tion group, Vella can be seen standing up, raising his gun and shooting at a bird three times consecutively, with the bird clearly seen in the footage falling out of the sky. "He is one of several hunters filmed hunting turtle doves during the spring hunting sea- son of this year," BirdLife said, adding that all the footage was being passed on to the police ALE section for further inves- tigation. BirdLife said that a few days before the season closure, FKNK publicly stated that it would not tolerate any abuses and warned any mem- bers caught breaking the law that if found guilty they will be suspended and their hunting licence will be withdrawn. "We trust that with the very clear evidence we are present- ing today, FKNK will put its words into action and immedi- ately suspend its official – who was caught on camera break- ing the law – from his role and also as a member, condemn his actions, disassociate itself from his wrongdoings and above all, collaborate with the enforcement authorities to bring him to justice," BirdLife said. Contacted by MaltaToday, FKNK CEO Lino Farrugia in- sisted that Vella was not an FKNK official. When it was pointed out that BirdLife claimed he was a member of a sub-committee, Farrugia acknowledged that it could be the case. He said, however, that the or- ganisation would not be taking any disciplinary action until it had proof of wrongdoing. "As we have done in the past, if there is concrete proof com- ing from the courts or the police, we will take action," he said, adding that no action would be taken on the basis of the footage in BirdLife's pos- session. mpace@mediatoday.com.mt NEWS FKNK 'official' filmed shooting protected turtle dove, BirdLife says • BirdLife footage shows an official on the FKNK's Mizieb sub-committee shooting at a protected turtle dove during the spring season • FKNK says it will take action when it has proof of wrongdoing from the courts or the police @ maltatoday ...let's get social!