Claudia Calleja
BirdLife says illegal hunting incidents have doubled
The incidents of illegal hunting witnessed by birdwatchers more than doubled when compared to last year, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement and tougher penalties, BirdLife president Joseph Mangion said yesterday.
Mr Mangion also highlighted, however, that while illegal hunting increased generally, the number of protected species shot by poachers dropped significantly during the period of the raptor camp, held late in September. He said this proved that a strong presence of birdwatchers and police officers in the countryside is an effective deterrent.
As he unveiled statistics compiled by BirdLife Malta and birdwatchers during the camp, Mr Mangion released video footage filed by camp members showing images of birds after being shot. The graphic material also shows a honey buzzard coughing up blood. A black stork was filmed as it was gunned down and two poachers are caught red-handed on video hiding a protected lesser spotted eagle they had just shot inside the Buskett bird sanctuary.
Mr Mangion described the current illegal hunting scenario as a "when-the-cat's-away-the-mouse-will-play situation".
During the hunting season, between September 1 and October 13, BirdLife fieldworkers recorded a total of 626 general illegal hunting incidents - an increase of 111 per cent over last year when 297 incidents were recorded.
The number of reports of shot protected birds between August 15 and October 13 increased from 21 birds last year to 55 this year and reports of illegal hunting after the 3 p.m. ban rose from 97 last year to 252 this year.
In contrast to these increases, the number of cases involving hunters shooting at protected species and witnessed by BirdLife during the raptor camp, held between September 13 and 22, dropped from 109 last year to 94 this year.
While, at face value, the drop may not appear to be dramatic, it becomes so when one factors in the fact that more reports are likely to be filed during the raptor camp than at some other time, Mr Mangion explained.
In other words, it follows that more incidents should be reported during the camp as a result of the increased presence of birdwatchers and not fewer. The fact that there is less hunting of protected birds during the camp shows that the presence is effective.
BirdLife relies on volunteer birdwatchers to monitor the countryside throughout the year but there is never, at any one time, the massive presence in the countryside as there is during the camps.
Asked whether BirdLife relied on the same number of birdwatchers at this year's raptor camp as it did last year, in order to be able to make a fair comparison, BirdLife executive director Tolga Temuge said that with 49 birdwatchers, there were actually 10 fewer volunteers this year.
"On average, however, we still had the same number of teams. We consciously maintained the same methodology, precisely in order to be able to make the comparison," Mr Temuge said.
Mr Mangion stressed that more needs to be done to curb the hunting of protected birds.
BirdLife analysis of the past two months shows that the most commonly targeted protected species by poachers were European bee-eaters, marsh harriers, honey buzzards, barn swallows and black storks.
Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg, the head of BirdLife Germany's raptor protection working group, joined the news conference via telephone from Switzerland.
Prof. Meyburg, who also works on a conservation project on lesser spotted eagles in Germany, referred to Sigmar - the lesser spotted eagle which made the headlines in both Malta and Germany after it was found suffering from gunshot wounds in Birżebbuġa in September last year.
He explained that there are fewer than 100 breeding pairs in Germany and "it is particularly disturbing to see these protected birds being gunned down recklessly by the Maltese poachers while we are spending a significant sum of money to protect them in Europe... We are literally praying that our birds do not fly over Malta," he said.
Attempts to get a reaction from the hunters' federation proved futile.
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Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 18th 2008, 15:33
@Anthony Formosa
You said that "according to birdlife, the last discovery of protected birds, Dizzu, isfar, Pispisel, etc worth around 20,000 euros". Can you please show us when and where Birdlife said anything like that? You can't because you are quoting CABS. You never get one right do you? If you want to criticise Birdlife stick to what Birdlife says.
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 17th 2008, 20:37
@S Mizzi
I might not agree with everything you said but I applaud to your sentence: “That poaching exists is bad and we all have to fight to eradicate it.”
J Farrugia
Oct 17th 2008, 20:35
Mr I Borg first of all no need for capitals all Malta is hearing you loud and clear. Now do I have your permission to come to your home and search for anything illegal, please? Is this what you want Malta to be? A police state? We already have towers but even so, illegal immigrants enter without anyone noticing, so why do you want to use these magnificent towers to hunt the hunters? I never went to England Italy or Germany to spy and interfere in their 'hobbies' like chasing a fox. Or is the fox lesser than a bird? Or the bull lesser than the fox? . Even if I want to do it I will be arrested and thrown out of thier country, lock stock and barrel. And here in Malta we give these CAB spies the Police numbers and a red carpet treatment. Halluna. Once again i state that I want no foreign interference in our country or do we need another Mintoff to shout it out to everyone in the whole wide world?
Anthony Formosa
Oct 17th 2008, 17:53
@ J.Borg, according to birdlife, the last discovery of protected birds, Dizzu, isfar, Pispisel, etc worth around 20,000 euros, so in my small mind only high class rich people can afford to by them, therefore should we also make random checks in Villas, Bungalows, etc, and if an eagle is shot we search in the queens palace?
l Galea
Oct 17th 2008, 17:16
l borg
I've heard of flying pigs, but now you gave me the reason why I now see it raining birds instead of water.
S Mizzi
Oct 17th 2008, 16:55
Mr Formosa,
Although Storks are rare visitors, I did witness 6 Black Storks whilst out shooting earlier last month. They flew out to sea and for some reason headed back inland. I watched in awe as they flew straight over my head in a straight line and headed further inland.
That they and more visited this year is a fact. That some were shot is still to be proven. All we have is a video of a falling bird which has been identified by BL/CABS as a Stork. For all we know it could have been a Harrier but then again what difference does it make anyway, it was still a protected species because it certainly wasn't a quail or a dove. A dead protected bird is a dead bird too many.
T Mifsud
Oct 17th 2008, 16:52
"I cannot but back even illegal hunters in their pastimes."
Reason has gone out of the window and being replaced by the condoning of crime. Shame!
Anthony Formosa
Oct 17th 2008, 16:32
BirdLife analysis of the past two months shows that the most commonly targeted protected species by poachers were European bee-eaters, marsh harriers, honey buzzards, barn swallows and black storks.
In my twenty (24) years of hunting I never recall of seeing Black or White Storks flying, and for birdlife seems to be quite common to our shores and commonly targeted. Is this another joke by Birdlife? or they want to give the impression that Storks are very common in Malta and because of hunting the people are deprived from them? I think soon BLM will say that the Malteses population is decreasing because Storks are shot.
l borg
Oct 17th 2008, 16:23
TO MR J FARRUGIA
ILLEGAL HUNTING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BIRDLIFE BUT WITH THE HUNTERS THAT KILL BIRDS PROTECTED OR NOT FOR THE SADISTIC HOBBY OF TAXIDERMY
BIRDS OF PREY HAVE BEEN PROTECTED SINCE 1980 YET THEY ARE FREELY SHOT IN THOUSANDS EACH YEAR IN MALTA
IT IS THE GOVERMENT THAT IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO CURB ILLEGAL HUNTING IN A DRASTIC MANNER
TWO AFRICAN COUNTRIES DID HAVE A POACHING PROBLEM WITH RHINOS AND ELEPHANTS AND AFTER FAILED AFFORTS TO COMBAT POACHERS THEY CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION
THEY DEPLOYED THE ARMY AND WITH STRICT ORDERS TO SHOOT POACHERS ON SIGHT
IT WORKED AND THE POACHERS BECOME THE HUNTED AND THE RHINO AND ELEPHANT POPULATIONS INCREASED DRAMATICLY
NO I AM NOT SAYING THAT HUNTERS THAT HUNT ILLEGAL SHOULD BE SHOT BUT MALTA IS SO SMALL THAT THE GOVERMENT CAN DO BETTER TO CURB ILLEGAL HUNTING
LIKE INTRODUCING WATCHING TOWERS WITH HI TECH CAMERAS
RANDOM CHECKS ON HUNTERS IN THIER HOUSES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE PROTECTED BIRDS ON DISPLAY
CHECK POINTS DURING HUNTING DAYS
AND MOST OFF ALL VERY HARSH PENALTIES FOR OFFENDERS
AND INCREASING THE ALE FORCE
S Mizzi
Oct 17th 2008, 16:04
J Farrugia.
It isn't a Golden Eagle but a Lesser Spotted Eagle.
I would never rub shoulders with anyone that breaks the law.
That poaching exists is bad and we all have to fight to eradicate it.
That entities like CABS sensationalise and exaggerate and in short will do anything to reach their declared aim of achieving a hunt-free area over Malta is also bad and this is where we should take our fight. Their lies and deception have to be uncovered and the gullible public at large needs to realise the truth.
J Farrugia
Oct 17th 2008, 15:09
All this rumpus for a golden eagle!!!! As if there is nothing more to do in this rotten world of ours. Jidher li m'ghandhomx fhiex jinhlew!
J Farrugia
Oct 17th 2008, 14:54
The illegal shooting will not only double but will treble and quadriple if Birdlife continues this crazy crusade against hunting in Malta. May I humbly suggest to Birdlife to initiate such crusades in Italy, in Germany, in England and in all other european countries. May I also remind one and all that I am no hunter or trapper and have lots to say about the arrogance of illegal hunters. In fact even their gunshot pellets come raining in my backyard, BUT seeing all this intrusion and interference from these foreigners, I cannot but back even illegal hunters in their pastimes. Yes I will even rub shoulder to shoulder with them in solidarity against these foreign meddlers. I will never accept neither the EU's dictat nor anyone else in such matters where our sovereignty is concerned. Malta did not accede to the EU to ban hunting in Malta. The Fenech Adami Government through Saviour Balzan's services deceived the hunting community when they signed the Acquis.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 17th 2008, 14:41
Richard
The shooting of a raptor is a deplorable event. All law abiding hunters share this view.
The Lesser Spotted Eagles' area of distribution is one of the smallest compared with the distribution of other Palearctic birds of prey, and is untypically small for Palearctic bird species, in general.
Its range:
Central Europe, East and South east-Europe as far as Iran. It winters south of equator in the southern and central parts of Africa.
The fact that a German "professor" prays for their birds not to fly over Malta, when the reason for its near extermination in Germany is German hunters, is an insult.
See http://www.raptor-research.de/pdfs/a_rp700p/a_rp707.pdf. "the reason for this decline where a massive annihilation campaign of shooting and egg theft."
This is what CABS have to say about raptor persecution "All raptor species in Germany are still officially categorized as ’huntable wildlife" and this includes Lesser Spotted Eagles.
Meyburg had better save his prayers for the birds back in Germany and leave the Malta police deal with anyone that dared shoot one of these lovely birds.
But its publicity for Birdlife he's after.
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 17th 2008, 13:55
@Joe Camilleri
Please refer to my comment to Mr M Mifsud Bonnici re Lesser spotted eagle status. Maybe you should suggest the EU commission to remove this species from Annex 1 of the bird directives. Trying to portray the killing of a lesser spotted eagle less serious than it actually is doesn’t suggest someone who claims of being against any type of poaching.
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 17th 2008, 13:23
@MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Often you really make sense when writing about the legal aspects of hunting as well as when suggesting on how to control poachers, but you really disappoint me when posting a comment like the one you posted today. Maybe the GLOBAL status (i.e. Worldwide) of the Lesser Spotted Eagle is of least concern but here we are dealing with those birds breeding in Europe and as you well know, this species is in the Annex 1 of the Bird Directive and the status is shown as Unfavourable. Try and use your argument with ornithologists, conservationists, scientists and even the EU commission itself. I’m afraid you won’t make a good impression..
Joe Camilleri
Oct 17th 2008, 12:54
"10 fewer volunteers this year" and next year there will be much fewer. Real birdwatchers will not come to Malta just to see the few birds that happen to pass over here. They will go to the eastern and northern part of sicily, which is a major migratory route.
"most commonly targeted protected species by poachers were European bee-eaters, marsh harriers, honey buzzards, barn swallows and black storks." gives the impression that hundres of these birds are gunned down every day. How come with all their hi-tech binoculars and video equipment, we were only presented with an unprofessional shoddy video of what they say is a stork being shot.
"Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg - fewer than 100 breeding pairs in Germany" Even a simple search on the ICUN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) website shows that "it has a large global population estimated to be 80,000-110,000 individuals and is of least concern." Is Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg another sofa sitting ornithologist?
The hunting Federation is and will always be against any type of poaching.
Anna Ellul
Oct 17th 2008, 11:58
There are quite a few horror flicks on You Tube which involve maltese hunters. Have these been handed into the police? Vulgarities, aggression are the common features. In one they demand in not too polite terms, that the bird watchers leave their 'private' land. Was this land truly private? or do we have yet another form of squatter here?
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 17th 2008, 11:29
94 incidents of shooting at illegal species from 16,000 registered hunters.
BirdLife state the contrary to what CABS stated, massacres do not occur. it is only just isolated cases
As for the other illegalities, most of which are shots heard during the afternoon ban. An unnecessary ban was what made these shots illegal. They could easily have been taken at legal game such as quail or turtle dove.
As for Professor Meyburg's comment on Lesser Spotted eagles. It is the German population that has beeen threatened by the German hunters persecution since the global population is more than healthy.
Birdlife international state
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3530&m=0
This species has an extremely large range. It has a large global population estimated to be 80,000-110,000 individuals . Although this species has declined, recent evidence indicates a partial recovery in the population such that trends over the last three generations are not believed to approach the thresholds under IUCN Red List criterion A. For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Be honest and stop exaggerating facts illegal hunting in Malta is minimal especially when compared to other countries.
l Galea
Oct 17th 2008, 10:13
Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg
Can you tell us how they were destroyed in Germany, because there is no doubt whatsoever that they could not have been destroyed or rather decimated in Malta.
"The incidents of illegal hunting witnessed by birdwatchers more than doubled when compared to last year.....Mr Mangion also highlighted, however, that while illegal hunting increased generally, the number of protected species shot by poachers dropped significantly during the period of the raptor camp, held late in September."
We do have lousy shooters then do we?
So the problem is less than it is being made by Birdlife.
p.s. I am not in favour of hunting.