Hunter arrested near bird sanctuary, BirdLife says
A hunter was arrested on Thursday after allegedly shooting a rare protected bird at the Salina bird sanctuary in full view of three police units and BirdLife members, the conservation group said yesterday.
BirdLife said that one of its teams was sent to the bird sanctuary shortly after it was told that six egrets arrived there late in the afternoon. The conservation group informed the police, fearing that the birds might be targeted. In fact, it added, hunters were seen in the area shortly after BirdLife arrived at the salt pans. The flock was spooked by gunfire on the opposite ridge and took off, gaining height over the fields to the south of the sanctuary. As the birds flew over the fields, a hunter fired four shots at them.
One of the birds broke away from the flock, dropping a few metres. The bird struggled to remain in the air before disappearing from sight, André Raine, BirdLife's conservation manager, said.
"This latest incident once again proves that the protected birds in Malta are not safe even if they are in a bird sanctuary and are closely monitored by the police or conservationists. This shows how ridiculous the situation in Malta is," Dr Raine said.
"In my career, I have never seen poachers being so blunt in their crimes, not even in some of the African countries that I worked in the past where poaching was a serious problem. Their confidence is probably fed by their view that if they get caught they will get away with a fine of a few hundred euros fine and then go back to killing as usual," he added.
BirdLife said that the police held a hunter who was searching the fields shortly after the shooting. A witness had seen him firing on the protected birds and, when interrogated, he confessed. He was arrested and taken away by the police, BirdLife said.
The BirdLife team remained in the area until the morning to ensure that the birds would not be targeted again when they returned to the salt pans to rest.
BirdLife urged the government to raise the fines and cancel the permits for repeat offenders. A wildlife crime unit should also be set up that can operate all year round to safeguard Malta's natural environment BirdLife insisted.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Petrol price up 6c
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
19 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Noel Abela
Oct 30th 2008, 14:48
Yeah right... and they changed it becuse you said so mhux hekk tghid...:D
what i cant understand is taht ppl like you will say anything, including nit-pick at words, to detract from the real problem... illegal hunting.
look at the FKNK's website today... "illegal hunting has greatly diminished." If you call Greta White Egrets, Black Storks, Lesser Spotted Eagles, Flamingos, Marsh Harriers and Honey Buzzards getting shot allover the place as an improvement, then i think it was the hunters who were lying when they used to say that there is no illegal hunting!
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 30th 2008, 12:13
@S. Mizzi
Another blunt accusation which I'm sure you cannot substantiate. Mr Mizzi, I've seen some really good comments from you so please don’t start imitating others and ruin your reputation.
S. Mizzi
Oct 30th 2008, 10:56
Yeah, they changed it that's why!
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 29th 2008, 23:06
@S Mizzi
If you had to check the original press release on the Birdlife web site, the birds are refered to as rare visitors.
S Mizzi
Oct 29th 2008, 07:52
Very simple. Saying that its a rare bird signifies that, globally, the bird is rare and threatened, and gives the alarming impression that every one that's shot is seriously denting recovery chances of the species.
A rare visitor could, and does, mean the opposite. Whilst the population of the species is very healthy, the occasional rare bird does happen to hop over to Malta.
Whilst the act is condemnable, the fact that organisations use alarmist statements to create more public hype and subsequent support to reach a declared aim of achieving a hunt-free Malta, to the detriment of the law-abiding hunter, is equally condemnable.
This is our fight Mr Cachia Zammit, because this is where you're stepping on our toes. Fight abuses all you like, we're with you on this one. Using and abusing the poaching issue though, is have a direct effect on the bona fide hunter that is caught in the middle of this fiasco, and this is when people like myself and others here have to speak up. We're not apologists, but merely defending the shots(!) which are arriving from every angle, from the poacher, the authorities, the media, the public and the birding organisations.
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 27th 2008, 22:14
@S Mizzi
Sorry but I can't see the difference between saying a rare migrant and a rare protected bird. Is the Great White Egret a rare bird here in Malta? YES. Is the Great White Egret a protected bird? YES. So where are the lies?
S Mizzi
Oct 27th 2008, 09:42
Birdlife did not say that the Egrets in question are rare migrants but rather that they are rare protected birds. There's a difference. Whilst we all know that they are rare migrants for the simple fact that we see very few of them, BL's comment that they are rare is a blatant lie in a clear attempt to sensationalise the matter by playing on the public's ignorance. As MMB said in an earlier post, the global population is extremely healthy. This does not detract from the fact that this latest incident is highly condemnable. Another remark that shows BL's true colours is their insistence for the Government to increase fines and penalties when they know full well that the penalties are amongst the highest in Europe. They would have been more credible had they demanded the courts to impose the full penalties allowed at law.
This man, once convicted, together with all other poachers, needs to be taught a lesson and it is only when we see higher fines and prison sentences being dished out will we see a decline in the shooting of protected species.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 26th 2008, 10:59
Richard Cachia Zammit.
Protected birds shot in Malta are considered as being rare because of their rarity to Malta. In which case I would consider all birds in Malta as being rare.
2,000 birds of prey seen during the Raptor Camp compared to over 30,000 seen in Sicily. The few hundred turtle dove caught during autumn in Malta compared to over 3,000,000 caught in autumn by European hunters should be reason enough to justify spring shooting as autumn is not a satisfactory solution.
Consider all the birds on the hunting list. The goose, the woodpigeon, etc. They are all rare. I have never seen a goose and saw 3 woodpigeons in all my hunting years.
It's not surprising all protected birds are referred to as rare. It only goes to show how irrelevant bird migration over Malta is.
SO MUCH FOR BIRDLIFE'S CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN MIGRATORY FLYWAY THEORY.
Malta is well off the main CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN MIGRATORY FLYWAY. Hunters and birdwatchers can watch a few stragglers on a few days during migration.
Just to give you an idea. This autumn I bagged the grand total of 1 turtle dove. How's that for conservation!!
Richard Cachia Zammit
Oct 25th 2008, 20:06
Well done to the ALE and Birdlife.
@Mark Mifsud Bonnici
I understand that in the article the birds are refered to as egrets but I am sure that by now, you know that the species involved was the Great White Egret which is definitely rare here in Malta, so Birdlife are correct in saying so.
@Ray Bajada
Yes the poacher was apprehended thanks to the fact that Birdlife informed the police of the possibility of someone shooting these birds due to their rarity. Maybe one day there will be law abiding hunters taking such action.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 25th 2008, 19:47
The Times, incorrectly referred to these birds as egrets. The Birds at Salina weere GREAT WHITE EGRETS.
Their IUCN listing states:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/144681
"A large global population estimated to be 550,000-1,900,000 individuals. The species is evaluated as Least Concern." So why does Birdlife Malta persist in claiming they are a rare species?
This act will hopefully be treated with the harshest of punishments as it deserves nothing less.
Similar acts have no relation to hunting. They are acts of defiance committed by a small section of society that own a gun license and consider themselves above the law. It's time any such person is taught an unforgettable lesson.
Hunters that set an example by their correct practice number in their thousands. They expect justice to be done. These irresponsible criminals apart from having their gun license revoked for life. Need more than just that in order to be taught a lesson.
The Maximum penalties of 14,000 euro and /or 2 years in jail ought to be applied as a deterrent to other would be criminals.
The law abiding hunter could well do without these sort.
The sooner the better!!
Ray Bajada
Oct 25th 2008, 16:13
@ Tony Caruana
Yes the shot birds are rare indeed (black stork,great white egret) and each and every rare bird shot by poachers has been reported on The Times! Malta is e very small territory and it is virtually impossible do something without being noticed.This clearly shows that poachers are actually few. If as claimed by Birdlife, maltese hunters shoot at whatever flies, we should be having at least 10000 articles daily not one every week or so. This poacher has been caught and shall be prosecuted........a clear sign that ALE is efficient.............it might get better...........but like any other thing police can never have 100% control.
J. Borg
Oct 25th 2008, 14:01
Mr. Caruana,
As was explained clearly in earlier blogs on related 'news'
The rarer and relatively larger the (sic) protected birds, the more they will be targeted by criminal hunters.
Thus if only one flies over and it is killed - these hunters would have 'achieved' 100% destruction!
The pity is that whilst the hunting federations and their self proclaimed 'law abiding' hunters are quick to lambast BirdLife for exposing such abuses - these same hunters/leaders have to date been so unwilling or incapable of assisting the arrest of criminal hunters.
Robert Caruana
Oct 25th 2008, 13:33
Birdlife are correct about these birds being rare migrants. Anybody with some knowledge about birds encountered locally knows that great white egrets are rare migrants. Similarly the black stork and greater flamingo (as far as I know the latest birdlife reports concern these species) are also rarely encountered locally. Any birdwatcher or hunter can confirm this.
Obviously, the fact that they are rare can make them more of an attraction to poachers, who might want to add them to their collection of mounted birds or sell them to somebody else for the same purpose.
T.Scerri
Oct 25th 2008, 13:17
@Tony Caruana
Coz maybe there are approx 16,000 'legal' hunters on a tiny microbe of an island?
E Camilleri
Oct 25th 2008, 13:16
It just shows how infrequent illegal hunting is! These individuals cannot see a protected bird flying without shooting it, let alone other bird species.
And then comes FKNK officials saying that illegal hunting is rare. We are in a situation of instead of advertising protected birds for one to see and enjoy, we have to hide and try to protect these. Is this what we deserve?
Jason Borg
Oct 25th 2008, 12:59
@ Tony Caruana - that's because only the rare ones make headlines in the press. If the list of the more common protected species which are shot is to be published, it would fill up a whole supplement.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 25th 2008, 12:30
These people are not hunters but poachers!!
As for increasing fines. The existing maximum fine of 14,000 euros and/or 2 years jail is a good enough deterrent. it is more a matter of applying it appropriately by the judiciary.
Birdlife try to impress by claiming all protected birds shot are rare. They might be rare to Malta like all other birds, considering Malta's geographical position off the main migratory flyway.
According to the IUCN 2008 red data list, the Little EGRET has a large global population estimated to be
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/144663
"640,000-3,100,000 individuals.
For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern."
As for "a wildlife crime unit" hunters are awaiting a reply re their proposal to Dr. Gonzi. Well informed sources say that BirdLife Malta are already in the process of participating in such a unit. Hopefully such a unit will also control the abuse of those that claim any protected bird as being rare.
This act is shameful but why say this bird is rare?
Another purposely invented exaggeration by Birdlife.
IT'S PUBLIC OPINION THEIR AFTER, NOT POACHERS.
Alex Ellul
Oct 25th 2008, 11:50
Tony, These birds ARE rare, only the criminal hunters are very common, Hence there's no one single bird that flies over the island and does not get the attention of the shotgun lovers.
Tony Caruana
Oct 25th 2008, 10:50
I hope this guy gets what he deserves
Has anyone noticed that all the birds shot are RARE according to birdlife. I can't understand if they are so rare how is it common to shoot them ?