Five birds from two protected species were found dead in a single day in the village of Parjota, Rascani district. Among them, a black stork monitored by GPS by researchers from Estonia. The Ministry of Environment maintains that this is a case of poaching and classifies the situation as a criminal offense, reports IPN.
According to the Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature, the black stork, named Lembe, was three and a half months old and came from a monitored nest in Estonia. The bird was equipped with a GPS transmitter, and on September 6, at 08:38 PM, the device transmitted that it was no longer moving. Such a stop could indicate that the bird was injured, sick, or had died.
On September 9, the SPPN volunteers moved to the transmitter coordinates, where they found 5 dead birds: the black stork and four shovelers. Both species are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova. Nearby, a hunting cartridge with pellets was also found.
The case was reported to the Rascani Environmental Protection Inspectorate, which notified the police. According to the Ministry of the Environment, law enforcement officers have opened an investigation and confiscated three weapons from the suspected individuals. Ballistic and veterinary expertise confirmed the presence of pellets in the dead birds. Veterinarians have confirmed that the death occurred as a result of serious injuries caused by these pellets.
SPPN will provide investigators with the information and documents it holds and asks the authorities to establish all the circumstances and identify the responsible persons.
