Birds seized from falconry being cared for in Sicily
A black kite seized by police and planning authority officials from a falconry in Siġġiewi last week being examined at a rehabilitation centre in Sicily.
Fifteen protected birds seized by the authorities last week from a falconry are being cared for at a rehabilitation centre in Sicily.
The birds were confiscated because the falconry, in the limits of Siġġiewi, did not have the necessary documents to prove their origin. Moreover, some birds did not bear the required rings, as approved by the Malta and Environment Planning Authority.
In his defence, falconry owner Rene Scicluna said the birds in question were injured when they were brought to him by individuals and he was tending to them until they recovered and could fly again.
He said he had contacted the authorities to establish when he could release them and to promote his good cause, while raising awareness about illegal hunting in the process.
Mr Scicluna said all the birds were ready to fly except for a hobby, which had a damaged wing, and a marsh harrier which was blind in one eye.
He said he had been told by the authorities to obtain the necessary documents before making his cause public but his wishes were dashed when the birds were seized.
Birdlife Malta said that once the birds were taken into custody, it immediately made arrangements with Aziende Foresta Demaniali, the regional authority in charge of wild fauna, to take them to the Centro Di Recupero Di Fauna Salvatica in nearby Sicily because Malta did not have the necessary facilities to care for them.
Sicilian conservationist Anna Giordano said all the birds had been examined by a vet but since they had been kept in cages for such a long time they would have to be trained to feed themselves slowly and must have a complete plumage before being released.
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Joseph Aquilina
Dec 10th 2008, 16:12
What are Birdlife doing for tourism in Malta, apart from all the bad publicity in the foreign press?
I cannot understand how anyone in his right senses would take such action against a person who has created a tourist [and family] attraction at his own expense. It may be true that the birds were at the falconry without the necessary documentation, but i am very sure that with a little bit of goodwill from Birdlife and the respective authorities, a better solution would have been found - either regularising the owner's / birds position or time for the owner to source alternative birds.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Dec 10th 2008, 12:16
The gentleman in question had a genuine intention to release the birds after he nursed them to good health. This was all a matter of not having been given the necessary permission by the authorities. He runs a fully licensed falconry center, yet is not allowed to rehabilitate raptors. How ironic.
One guess who created all obstacles to stop him getting a permit?
Strangely enough only Birdlife is given such a permit.
I believe the authorities should realize that in Malta experts in the rehabilitation of raptors do exist and deserve to hold a permit in this respect.
Mr. Scicluna has been instrumental in educating many of those fools that still flaunt the law and persecute raptors. He deserves nothing but praise. He certainly does not deserve this bad publicity.
Keep up the good work Rennie. You have our full support.