Protected birds 'gunned down' - BirdLife

George Curmi

Sep 4th 2008, 14:52

@ Andrew Gatt

X'għandu x'jaqsam you ask? Are you serious? What interpretation are you referring to? The verdict by the courts? Lino Farrugia encouraged a fellow "trapper/hunter" to refuse obeying a legitimate order from the police. He was then found guilty in a court of law where judges are empowered to interpret the law. Unfortunately, the fine levied on him was not substantial enough to serve as a deterrent.

No, I am not equating anything with anything. Please don’t try to put words in my mouth. What I am saying is that the executive and members of the hunting federations have provided ample proof that they are unable, probably unwilling as evidence by Lino Farrugia's actions, to curb the excesses of those among them who blatantly disobey the law. Since you collectively encourage blatant violation of the law - you yourself continue to defend Lino Farrugia's and Mr. Grech's actions - it is reasonable to expect collective punishment.

C. Mallia - you are too generous when you attribute reasoning to Mr. Gatt. Some people's sense of reason, if present, is often obliterated by their fanaticism.

Antoine Vella

Sep 2nd 2008, 00:19

@ Philip Galea

Perhaps it was not a night heron after all but another species; that in itself is not important. Your comment, however, is a perfect illustration of what I was telling Mr Robinich about the ambiguous stand of Maltese hunters regarding illegalties.

You are living in denial and unable to realise what harm your attitude is doing to your own pastime.

J. Borg

Sep 1st 2008, 23:04

Are we still questioning whether protected birds are really shot down?
Then let's just wait for the Bird Guards' extended watch.....
if they don't report (through tangible video evidence) any such abuses - congrats to everyone we're cured
whereas if the come up with some footage, well let's try our best to dismiss it, and relapse into denial.

Philip Galea

Sep 1st 2008, 17:41

The best comment is from S.Bonello. He saw a dead Night Heron in the grass on the side of a road, did not stop to pick it up and pass it to Birdlies and Co. but the best part is that this Night Heron had webbed feet. That would have been a first, the Museum of Natural Histroy would have benn very grateful for this unique Night Heron.

C Mallia

Sep 1st 2008, 16:49

@ Andrew Gatt

Your reasoning has become completely pathetic. How gullible do you think people are. Lino Farrugia had every opportunity to defend himself in court, which he did and LOST, and still you claim interpretation. If you now are going to question court rulings, then it is a waste of time to reason with you.

@ all hunters
Birdlife has to report such illegalities as no other entity on the island is. It is its duty as a bird protection NGO. These are not hysterics, these are facts that are happening regularly. What does FKNK do? Nothing!! Not a mention in any media to its supposedly "law-abiding" hunters to obey the law, to report poachers, to set an example.

The only example set lately was by Lino...and what an example it turned out to be!!

D.Busuttil

Sep 1st 2008, 16:25

That's news.. as usual Birdlife. They have to report something otherwise they don't get paid out of season

Andrew Gatt

Sep 1st 2008, 13:19

@ George Curmi.................x'ghandu x'jaqsam???!!!!??? Are you seriously trying to equate an INTERPRETATION issue on vague trapping laws with the shooting down of protected species? Like, say, a parking ticket vs armed robbery???

But then, it's an excuse to sling collective mud, isn't it?

George Curmi

Sep 1st 2008, 00:08

@ Andrew Gatt

Here you go again. This time you tell us "Catch and prosecute and penalise this mini-minority of cowboys to the maximum." Yet you were the same person who put up all kinds of weak arguments in defence of Mr. Lino Farrugia, an officer of FKNK, when he was found guilty and fined for his part in aiding and abetting illegal bird trapping and refusing to obey a legitimate order from police officers. Would you please make up your mind Mr. Gatt?

The officers of your own association of "hunters", e.g. Mr. Farrugia, cannot be trusted to help uphold the law. What then are the authorities to do?

Antoine Vella

Aug 31st 2008, 23:45

@Robinich

The Conquistadores actually waged war with the most modern weapons of their time and were, for that reason, spectacularly successful. That is just a detail however.

I don't agree with your reference to dirty linen: statistics on poaching in any European country are readily available and there are considerably fewer illegalities in northern/central Europe than there are in Malta and Mediterranean countries (proportionally speaking, of course).

This, together with respectable hunters' zero tolerance towards poaching, is the basis for FACE-BirdLife cooperation. It would be possible in Malta too if respectable hunters (who are the majority) came out more clearly against law-breakers.

You claim that Maltese hunters do not condone illegalities but you are wrong: the responses on this very site are proof enough that, instead of unconditionally condemning such acts, many hunters try to discredit those who report such crimes.

We all know (you, hunters more than anyone else) that poaching exists and that those who break the law are a great deal more than 0.15% of hunters. They are your real enemies and you should feel no loyalty towards them; by not reporting them you become their accomplices.

I Robinich

Aug 31st 2008, 14:12

@ Antoine Vella

With all due respect my esteemed friend, I cannot agree with your statement. More waste land+More species+more population than Malta = More poaching than Malta. The thing is that these countries wash their dirty linen within not like us Maltese. Apart, no one supports, protects, promotes poaching neither BL Int. nor FACE or BLM or FKNK or even the public in general, but I have seen effective education against it all around Europe irrirpective of the North or South. Malta we are centuries behind. This negative attitude of declairng war, and unfortunately with no effective modern weapons reminds me of the Dark Ages and the Spanish Inquisition let alone the Conquestadores.

laurence schembri

Aug 31st 2008, 10:46

I can assure you that in the area where I dwell hunting was in progress more than a week ago.
Anyone that lives in the area around the airport can vouch fot this.
Threre is no two ways about it. the hunters rule the roost.

Antoine Vella

Aug 31st 2008, 10:21

@ Robinich

BirdlLife International and FACE manage to work together mainly because, in northern Europe, the problem of poaching is not as severe as it is in Malta and in some other Mediterrenean countries.

Moreover, when there are reports of illegal hunting, FACE condemns the illegalities and does not accuse BirdLife of inventing such crimes. Maltese hunters, on the other hand, are losing face with every case of poaching that is brought to light.

I Robinich

Aug 31st 2008, 09:59

Ok thanks, got the message........................ It seems that the hunting season will soon start. Please change your approach for the problem, you are getting pathetic and insulting the intelligence of the majority of the population with your old fashioned strategy of confrontation. At this point you are wasting valuable paper on gazettes and server space in the net to sound your hatred against Hunting and not poaching (so first of all get the term right). This illegal practice would be better tackled by investing all resources in educating people and both lobbies should get together and put forward a strategy for a long term awareness. I just cannot understand why BirdLife International and FACE work in perfect harmony worldwide including in European policy making in Brussels and locally no!!! maybe both executive committees should be fired, and new ones with a peaceful and calm approach should be elected.

Poaching and illegal bird ringing by unlicenced and inexperienced handlers and yes it has its casualty rate as well !!! which the last surprises me why it is never mentioned since it is mostly practised by BLM members are a scar to our civilised nation.

Philip Grech

Aug 31st 2008, 09:51

@ Steven Bonello: In some documentary or picture you saw herons near water, so you presumed that herons have webbed feet. So much for your credibility! You probably heard nothing and absolutely saw nothing of what you said.

J Pace

Aug 31st 2008, 00:25

What is the real issue here? That BirdLife happen to report the crimes just before the hunting season is open? Can the hunters please stop try to deviate from the real facts and just admit that yes amongst them are those who just shoot at anything that flies! And yes, protected birds have been gunned down time and time again! I live in the countryside and I don't really go bird watching but have unfortunately witnessed hundreds of protected birds killed over the years. I have stopped counting the times when a number of honeybuzzards are flying peacefully only to be mercilessly shot at until if possible they have all been killed. Very unfortunately I didn't get these facts from the "lies that BirdLife are spreading".

Antoine Vella

Aug 30th 2008, 22:39

Although not all hunters break the law, it is ridiculous to claim that those who do represent only 0.15% of them.

Last year, hundreds of birds of prey (among others) were killed in a few days; a shameful massacre that persuaded government - normally very prudent in such matters - to take the unprecedented step of closing the season.

This had the salutary effect of jolting hunters back to their senses,at least temporarily. Judging from what is happening now in the field and from the responses on this site, it might be necessary to apply the ban again, to reconfirm government's zero tolerance to poaching.

Remember everyone that hunting is a privilege not a right.

David Gatt

Aug 30th 2008, 22:35

Ban hunting all year round, withdraw hunting licenses and make owning a shotgun illegal. That should fix these hunters once and for all and make them get a new hobby instead of killing birds.

Richard Cachia Zammit

Aug 30th 2008, 21:11

@Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Just because you never found an injured bird doesn't mean that others don't. And as for never witnessing any hunting illegalities I would love to know where you go walking in the countryside. Just to let you know that every wounded bird reported to Birdlife is eventually reported to Mepa together with a certificate from the vet of what the injuries are and who found it so everything is recorded. So Sylvana it is about time that YOU start discussing things in an adult manner.
@Anthony Formosa
Mr Formosa, maybe you are not familiar with birds but the wounded bird shown a month ago was an Audoin's Gull. The bird shown today is a Cory's Shearwater, a totally different species

C.L.N.Aquilina

Aug 30th 2008, 21:00

BirdLife please stop this nonsense. Is it always BirdLife who finds “gunned down” birds?
Please do not make more harm to the Maltese people!
If some stupid hunter is doing this shooting illegally, I beg him to stop immediately!
He is doing harm to himself and to all the Maltese hunters.

T Mifsud

Aug 30th 2008, 19:38

In any case Lino Farrugia, the very person who is supposed to set example, has been found guilty of aiding and abetting illegal hunting, even after appealing, never mind interpretations.

So indeed he has set example.

Anthony Formosa

Aug 30th 2008, 19:33

Here we go again, so many birds shot and birdlife managed to show us only one, the same bird that was reported more than a month ago with the same wound. Where are the others? or the freezer is empty. These same gullible that always put their comments should realise this before start condemning hunters. According to birdlife the ALE are committed to patrol the beaches for any illegalities, great, so there are about 500 people on the beach and nobody is able to take the boat reg number and report it, is there something wrong here? or the people now are protecting the birds more than the life of our children if they hit by a boat. Andrew Gatt is right all of you must go tonight to Paceville top up your phone with 50 euros and start reporting all the illegalities to save our new young generation from picking bad habits.

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Aug 30th 2008, 19:04

Mr. RCZ, how many wounded birds have been handed in by the general public??!! I enjoy spending my free time in the countryside and I assure you I HAVE NEVER COME ACROSS ANY SHOT OR WOUNDED BIRDS and HAVE NEITHER COME ACROSS ANY HUNTING ILLEGALITIES. So how can you expect me to be gullible and believe what BirdLife and others who support them try to make me believe. I am not saying that these unfortunate incidents do not exist. However,the picture you try to portray is FAR from the truth. Exaggerations are rampant, similar to the millions of birds reported by BirdLife as being shot down in Malta.

Let us keep our feet on the ground and discuss matters in an adult manner.

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Aug 30th 2008, 18:50

HURRAY! THE FIREWORKS HAVE STARTED - ON THE EVE OF THE OPEN SEASON!!

How gullible some people can be. Let me clarify my position before anyone decides to start pointing fingers. If what BirdLife is reporting is true (and I do have my doubts - I do not believe in coincidences which occur on the eve of every open season) then I feel that BirdLife representatives who have witnessed such incidents are duty-bound to offer their help so that the law is enforced. It seems they are only after sensationalism in the media.

Mr. Spiteri, are you suggesting that police officers, politicians are not related ay of the ati-hunting lobby? Well then, the latter must really be in the minority.

The insinuations by Mr. Raine and others who have commented regarding Mr. Lino Farrugia are shameful indeed. Have you ever heard of the words respect?

I wish all law-abiding hunters, their hunting dogs, and trappers an enjoyable hunting season.

Richard Cachia Zammit

Aug 30th 2008, 18:38

@Lorry Caruana
You asked why birdlife always finds injured birds just days before the hunting season opens. Has it occurred to you that the hunting season coincided with the migration of birds so more birds start appearing at this time and as soon as this happens, protected birds are targeted by poachers or you thought that birds start migrating exactly on the 1st of September when the hunting season opens? How about condemning these many poachers who don’t care about anything or anyone, including law abiding hunters instead of trying to doubt Birdlife.
@nazzareno dimech
I’m afraid there aren’t many gullible people around anymore because the general public constantly witnesses hunting illegalities and most of the injured birds reported to Birdlife or to the police are actually found by the general public. So trying to make it sound as if Birdlife is feeding false information to the general public when the general public itself is giving that information to Birdlife, doesn’t help your argument at all.

Andrew Gatt

Aug 30th 2008, 18:30

And one other thing. How cynical of Birdlife to collect reports of illegalities over weeks if not months, cynically hoard them until the hunting season is 2 days away from opening, AND time their Press Release to make The Sunday Times. (On the front page and in full colour, wanna bet?)

The incidents are to be condemned. So are these propaganda tactics by a foreign-directed organisation against an ENTIRE section of the Maltese community. Both solve nothing,

Andrew Gatt

Aug 30th 2008, 18:15

@ Mark Gauci....no I do not, actually. Lino Farrugia was NOT trapping illegally. He was called to the site when an issue of interpretation of haphazardly-introduced amendments to the trapping laws arose. (size/area of nets, methods of operation etc) And the Federation is on record repeating ad nauseum that shooting of protected species has to stop.

@John Azzopardi....from personal experience, (I hope you believe me) I have seen a huge decline in the scale of poaching. Consider Malta's size again. Most incidents get reported and, sorry to say, cynically sensationalised by Birdlife & Co to deliberately turn public opinion against hunting and to restrict the hobbby of thousands like me who have nothing to do with it. Plenty of self-discipline and self-regulation exists - I can vouch for it in the field - but I am not the authorities. I am not the Police. I am not the AFM. Would you be prepared to combat crime, ticket lorry drivers, break up fights, patrol Paceville etc. instead of, say, watching your favourite football team?

@ Albert Spiteri..........no idea, I'm afraid. Too many, probably!! Thing is, your comment can be applied to almost every sector of our society, wouldn't you agree?

Ray Bajada

Aug 30th 2008, 18:14

I cannot understand how I never find a shot down bird during my daily walks in the countryside! Perhaps poachers kill protected birds only in front of birdwatchers? And then what for......if they don't collect the bird?

Steven Bonello

Aug 30th 2008, 18:02

Just this morning I heard about six shots at Chadwick lakes. There was also a dead night heron at the side of the road on the grass. Of course it could have died of natural causes but then I don't suppose night herons choose to depart the planet with webbed feet up in the air - or possibly they do since I am no expert on dead herons....

J.M. Chapelle

Aug 30th 2008, 17:54

How many hunters are floating voters?

nazzareno dimech

Aug 30th 2008, 17:39

keep it up birdlife , with many gullible people around you allways succeed in your campain against hunters

albert spiteri

Aug 30th 2008, 17:32

@Andrew Gatt - I agree with you Mr. Gatt. However, you have also to ask the basic questions, which are - (1) how many police officers are hunters? (2) How many politicians are hunters? (3) How many police officers and politicians have relatives that are hunters? Then, after providing the answers to those questions you may go ahead and ask why in an island 17 by 9 miles rarely does a cowboy hunter ever gets caught.

Paul Barrett

Aug 30th 2008, 17:07

@ Mr Andrew Gatt

You have summed it up exactly - it is the few that ruin the efforts, reputation and the standing of the many.

This equation not only applies to hunting but to just about everything be it hunting, fishing, smoking, drugs, driving, making fireworks, litter, smoking vehicles to name but a few. Laws are brought in to protect the majority from the foolish, thoughtless and greedy minority. It is not always to an individuals advantage but intended to be to the advantage of society as a whole.

J Pace

Aug 30th 2008, 16:57

Cory's Shearwater??!! Shame on you "0.15% of the population"!!! Maybe the hunters' association should be the ones to help the police try to curb on illegal hunting, which unfortunately happens to take place allover the 17x 9 miles!!

John Azzopardi

Aug 30th 2008, 16:36

@Andrew Gatt. Well said. In that case, why doesn't the majority of hunters who are said to be law-abiding report the 'cowboys' who are giving them a bad reputation? Do something practical about it, rather than go on the defensive. Hysterics do not resolve hysterics.

Mark Gauci

Aug 30th 2008, 16:30

Dear Mr. Gatt and law abiding hunters....these are not hysterical cries at all !! It is rightly so, as BirdLife, put it depressing that species like Bee-eaters are being gunned down illegally.

And if I may ask - do you place the FKNK general secretary as part of the so called 0.15 % minority....one of the cowboys !! I do !! Which is why I have no faith the situation will ever get better unless hunters are controlled by police 24x7.

Alex Ellul

Aug 30th 2008, 16:00

Stop the bloody 'sport' or 'tradition' or whatever excuse they try to find to destroy beauty and God's own creation. That is the way to do it... Government will get kudos of approval from the silent majority. Do not be afraid of the noisy ones.. they are just that, a lot of noise.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 30th 2008, 15:50

Shame on whoever guns down beautiful creatures!

Look at that photo! Look at that noble bird!

We are not dealing with any fractions! We are dealing with a number of hunters who think that the countryside and the whole country belongs to them and to their guns!

A. Attard

Aug 30th 2008, 15:45

oh how come i am not surprised????? birdlife's freezer is open again!!!!

Byron Camilleri

Aug 30th 2008, 15:29

So if some careless guy kills someone else by careless driving... everyone goes to work on foot on monday?

Lorry Caruana

Aug 30th 2008, 15:15

could anyone tell me and show us how could this type of things birdlife always find them just days before the hunting season opens?

Andrew Gatt

Aug 30th 2008, 15:00

Here we go again with hysterical calls to ban this, that and the other. Please realise that any poaching incidents represent a fraction of the total people licensed to hunt! Say, what? 20 latest reports by Birdlife? Say 13,000 hunters? If my maths is correct, that works out at 0.15%!! THIS is the true scale we are dealing with here - certainly not the as the wildly-hyped up accusations would have the public believe.

We are dealing with but a fraction.

Catch and prosecute and penalise this mini-minority of cowboys to the maximum. Fast! Why is it so hard on an island 17 miles by 9? But leave the vast majority of us real hunters alone. This collective blame is simply unfair. Collective punishment is unfair. It is a glaring failure on the part of this government to have to resort to these measures simply because it is unwilling or unable to enforce the laws fairly.

Ivan Camilleri

Aug 30th 2008, 14:21

If i were the minister i would declare a "NO HUNTING SEASON " yet again!!!!!!!! We are dealing with a bunch of outrageous hunters here......They deserve nothing better than that!!

CLOSE THE SEASON RIGHT AWAY BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS!!!!! They are doing this now, let alone during the open season!!!

Adrian Cachia

Aug 30th 2008, 14:20

Any shootings like this reported next week and the Hunting season should be stopped straight away....