A hunter has been filmed crushing a protected common kestrel under his foot until it died during an incident in Ħal Farruġ on Sunday morning, according to BirdLife Malta.The incident reportedly took place at around 8am while BirdLife Malta was carrying out monitoring as part of its autumn hunting camp.Footage published by the NGO appears to show the hunter placing his foot on the bird and pressing down on it as it lay on the ground.BirdLife claimed the hunter “picked up the bird from the vegetation, placed it under his foot, and kept it there until it took its last breath.”According to the NGO, the man then inspected the bird before walking towards his hiding place with the dead protected kestrel in his hand.BirdLife described what was captured on camera as a “deliberate act of cruelty that is difficult to watch”.The incident was reported to the Environmental Protection Unit, with BirdLife saying officers subsequently detained the hunter and recovered the dead kestrel.The NGO said that, if convicted, the hunter could face a €5,000 fine and a lifetime hunting licence ban, while questioning whether existing penalties are enough to deter the illegal killing of protected species.This year’s autumn hunting season began on 1st September and is due to run until 31st January. The hunting season for Turtle-doves, which was due to remain open until 30st September, was closed early after the national quota of 500 birds was reached.•