The injured heron that was spotted in Riviera Bay yesterday was most probably a casualty of illegal hunting which has skyrocketed over the past few days, environmental NGO BirdLife confirmed.

“It’s one of several birds we are receiving this weekend,” Nik Barbara from BirdLife said. “The bird is on its way to be seen by vets to assess its injuries.”

The heron was spotted by a woman who immediately contacted BirdLife, as one of its wings was hanging lower than the other. After the heron landed on a rock, she noticed the left wing seemed to be damaged as the bird moved.