Students returning to St Edward’s College for the new scholastic year were met with an unusual sight after an injured protected Eurasian Hobby was found inside the school grounds.BirdLife Malta was called to collect the bird, with the Government veterinarian later confirming that it had suffered shotgun injuries.Following the incident, BirdLife Malta renewed its call for a 200-metre no-hunting buffer zone around schools, arguing that children should not be exposed to gunshots or the risks associated with hunting near school grounds.The organisation said a previous proposal for such a buffer zone had been rejected by the ORNIS Committee after failing to secure support from Government-appointed members and the Environment and Resources Authority.“Children should be able to attend school without hearing gunshots and without finding protected birds that have been shot in their playground,” BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana said.The organisation also linked the incident to proposed changes to penalties for wildlife offences, calling on the Government not to reduce sanctions for the illegal hunting of protected birds and instead to strengthen enforcement.Do you think a no-hunting buffer zone should be introduced around schools?•