Saturday, 5th July 2008
BirdLife claims sensitive land burnt for trapping sites
The landscape charred black as a result of burning the vegetation at one of the several trapping sites in the important bird area north of Dwejra Bay. Photo: Birdlife Malta.
Birdlife Malta has claimed that large tracts of land in an ecologically-sensitive and important bird area in the north of Dwejra have been burnt to clear vegetation for trapping sites.
Trappers clear vegetation by using different methods, including burning and spreading toxic herbicides to open space for their nets, BirdLife said.
"This practice seriously damages the countryside as wild herbs, plants and flowers, which are habitat to many species of insects and birds, are destroyed."
The organisation said the photo clearly shows two hides opposite each other at the end of a run.
"Placed at regular intervals around the run are stones, on which trappers would place caged song birds to lure wild birds in, also shown in the photo.
"This is a very typical trapping site set up. Hunting hides would be very differently placed and surrounded by vegetation. The hides are all in good condition and the stones bordering the runs are carefully placed, proving that the area is still active," the NGO said.
The site, which is one of the seven important bird areas, is not given the full special protection area status by the Maltese government. The area is given only 30 per cent protection and is therefore subject to an on-going infringement procedure opened by the European Commission against Malta, BirdLife said.
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Comments
Please note that at this time around and few weeks before most hunters and trappers do EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE!
Where permitted, they plough the areas surrounding their hide to avoid that any accidental fire will not spread close to their most loved and cared area...the hide.
Dear Birdlife "bird experts", do you really think that any trapper would like such a black area around him? The trapper will be doing his most to attract birds......and such a black spot doesn't help at all.
Just another thing. While you were in Gozo before reaching this spot, you should have noticed several hill sides entirely burnt .........are you instigating that these were also burnt by trappers??
OOOPS! I forgot that the Ornis Committee met this week.
It seems that sympathy keeps the donations flowing.
It takes some gall to label Birdlife ‘killjoys’ – when the only persons ‘killing’ and precluding the public from appreciating the ‘joys’ of a safe countryside, are the hunters & trappers themselves!
Removing the nets and keeping the shotguns locked away, whilst still appreciating the surroundings, is not a Herculian task after all.
The only current two real “Konservazjonisti” are MEPA, along with Birdlife. I'm not a trapper but I never saw in my life a trapper burning the land in preparation for the trapping season. Birdlife as usual is trying to misinform the public with sensational news. I'm pretty sure that the area is accessible by cars, and very often people tend to make BBQs in such areas, and it's not the first time that I witnessed such activity in my own private land with even syringes left behind with a high risk to my children. If this is what you believe that trappers really do even though it's too early, then Malta should in a state of emergency. Dear Birdlife enough is enough with this dirty tactics, it's a shame.
I don't know how, birdlife concluded THAT THIS IS ONLY A JOB OF A TRAPPER and NO OTHER CAUSES CAN BE for this burnt piece of land.