RSPB Scotland helps convict Maltese hunters

We've been keeping an eye on the hunting situation in Malta recently. The hunting of birds has become a huge problem there and a crackdown on those hunting illegaly was promised this year. It was interesting to hear, then, that the RSPB Scotland has played a part in convicting two men who murdered a protected lesser spotted eagle. The RSPB’s head of investigations in Scotland, Bob Elliot, was over in Malta helping the society's partner, BirdLife Malta, when he witnessed the men commit the crime. The hunters' attempt to hide the evidence was also caught on camera. Mr Elliot said: "I have been staggered at the sheer scale of the slaughter in Malta, which must have the highest number of incidents of anywhere in Europe.” So, hopefully, this latest conviction will send out a clear message that the senseless murder of rare birds will not be tolerated. You can find out more about how the RSPB Scotland helped to convict the hunters by clicking this link, where you will also find a video showing some of the destruction such bird killers have caused.