Image by Shutterstock.com

The Ornithological Society registered 77 animal poisonings between January and April, nearly double the average for the past four years.

According to Árvay, it’s hard to say what might be behind the growing number of cases, but perhaps one reason may be that “people say the police were too busy during the epidemic to deal with poaching.”

Sudden economic difficulties may have also played a role in the phenomenon, as many tried to earn income through poaching, the website notes.