Remaining 11 Storks Head To Gozo As Alleged Stork-Killer Is Denied Bail
Cover photo & inset: Khalid El-Nahhal & TVM
The remainder of a flock of white storks that have been spotted around Malta over the last five days have been seen resting in Gozo on the same day that a 41-year-old man was denied bail for allegedly shooting and killing four of the protected birds.
James Magri from Dingli was kept in preventive custody after he pleaded not guilty to the charge of killing the rare birds just hours after they got to Malta. His defence lawyer Edward Gatt argued that he should be given bail since it was unlikely that Magri would face a prison sentence, and also said the police had hurriedly arrested him to due to the outcry on social media.
The prosecution disagreed, saying there were still more witnesses to be heard, and Magistrate Audrey Demicoli denied the request for bail.
Photo: TVM
A few hours later, the storks were seen leaving Malta for Gozo
Though the flock of 18 storks had entered Maltese airspace in good health, seven of them are unaccounted for – four of them allegedly at the hands of the aforementioned Magri and the other three who have disappeared.
The remaining 11 were spotted atop a crane on the construction grounds of the new Barts Hospital in Gozo. Gozitan police are accompanying the storks during their stay in Gozo to enforce their protected status, and have been told not to let the birds out of their sight.
Before being spotted in Gozo, the storks had been seen at the G?adira natural reserve, as well as areas in ?ebbug, Rabat, Buskett and Si??iewi.
Birdlife released a statement as the storks made their way to Gozo:
“It is unusual for storks to migrate this early in August in Malta. Over the past few years White Storks originating from as far as Italy to Sweden have normally appeared in September. The origin of these birds remains unknown as none of them appear to be ringed. Police assistance has been requested yet we call on the public to keep an eye out and report any sightings or incidents to BirdLife Malta and the authorities”.
Photo: Khalid El-Nahhal
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