Gozo flamingo - BirdLife commends action of volunteers led by the MRU

Source: Gozo News

Gozo flamingo - BirdLife commends action of volunteers led by the MRU

BirdLife Malta has commended the action being taken by a group of volunteers led by the Malta Ranger Unit (MRU) to ensure the safety of a Greater Flamingo that has landed on Gozo to rest.

BirdLife Malta volunteers are also assisting in monitoring the situation, it said

BLM said this is the third such case in the past weeks following the flamingo that is still resting at our Salina Nature Reserve after it landed there some days ago, and another adult Spanish-ringed female flamingo that stayed at Salina for many weeks.

BirdLife Malta stated that the last time a flamingo landed to rest in Gozo it was shot down in full view of tourists near the Xwejni saltpans and was taken away by the perpetrator in a vehicle which was seen fleeing the scene - an incident that occurred just a day before the start of last year's autumn hunting season.

BirdLife Malta called on the general public "to monitor such situations and inform us and the MRU of any illegalities they might observe. This particularly applies in the case of Gozo where the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) of The Malta Police Force is completely absent."

The Malta Ranger Unit has also said that it needs more Ranger boots on the ground to be able to carry out similar exercises when need be.