A veterinarian has confirmed that a protected Greater Flamingo found off the Gozo coast between Xlendi and Ta' Ċenċ was shot on Sunday, BirdLife told Times of Malta.

The eNGO posted footage of the flamingo in a car, on its way to be seen to by a state vet.

It said the adult bird was found swimming and was brought to shore with the assistance of members of the public.

The targeting of such charismatic species is rife more than ever as the migration of various species peaks during these days, BirdLife Malta said.

"Such illegal hunting occurs for the sole purpose of taxidermy collections with specimens numbering hundreds of thousands amongst the hunting community.

"Thanks to recent changes in legislation under Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, such killings if undetected by police end up in taxidermy collections and end up as non-prosecutable collections under the guise of legalised transfers from one hunter to another."

The situation, the NGO reiterated,  was indirectly also the result of a drop in the number of police officials deployed to monitor some 10,000 active hunting licences.

BirdLife added that its members in Malta have only observed two Environmental Protection Unit police units on duty, "despite the need to ensure all-round protection of rare eagles".

In Gozo, it added, EPU was not allowed to operate and monitoring was carried out by the Gozo Police, who had to take care of all other police duties on the island.

"The situation with illegal hunting is in a dire state and the permitted persecution of protected species is having a direct toll on conservation efforts on these birds incoming from mainland Europe."

Still from BirdLife Malta footage of the Greater Flamingo's wound.