The last remaining stork from a flock of 18 that arrived in Malta just over two weeks ago has not been seen in days and is presumed dead, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter said.

The organisation said the stork was last seen on Saturday at Magħtab, where the bird was regularly observed.

The flock of 18 protected storks was targeted by poachers just a few hours after it arrived, after three were shot the same day.

The flock continued to dwindle with a total of five storks confirmed shot within the first week after their arrival. After a week of arriving, only one bird was left.

"Without the lead of the experienced adults the remaining juveniles were disoriented and did not manage to leave the island. Every morning the remaining birds were seen heading towards the sea to continue their journey, but without an experienced leader they found themselves lost and decided to return to Malta”, Cabs Wildlife Crime Officer Fiona Burrows said.

With only one stork remaining, the Ornis Committee decided the only way for the bird to remain safe was to relocate it to Germany.

A specialised bird trapper from Germany was brought to Malta and several large snare traps were installed at the dump in Magħtab where the bird was regularly observed.

Unfortunately, the bird disappeared the day after the traps were installed, Cabs said.

The NGO is now offering a €5,000 reward for new information leading to the identification and successful conviction of any person(s) responsible for these stork killings.

Those with any relevant information can contact either CABS at CABS@komitee.de in strict confidence or the police.