UPDATED - Falconry owner claims he is being framed, BirdLife reacts
(Adds BirdLife reaction)
The owner of the Malta Falconry Centre, Rennie Scicluna, said today that he had intended to release the 15 protected birds confiscated from the falconry on December 1 and had already informed several people, including MEPA and BirdLife, of his intention.
He told a news conference that certain people had a hidden agenda and an attempt had been made at framing him up.
BirdLife said last week that 15 protected birds were seized by the authorities from the falconry and were being cared for at a rehabilitation centre in Sicily. It said the birds were confiscated because the falconry, in the limits of Siġġiewi, did not have the necessary documents to prove their origin.
Mr Scicluna said people regularly took injured birds to the centre. He cared for the birds and later released them. The birds which were confiscated had been taken to the centre by the public.
Mr Scicluna said that the falconry was recently inspected by the government vet and he had told him he wanted to chip the birds (for tracking purposes) before releasing them.
He called at MEPA to inform the authority of his intentions and to check whether he needed any permits. He also met Joseph Mangion, of BirdLife told him what he wanted to do.
However, Mr Scicluna said, Mr Mangion cut him short and two weeks later the falconry was inspected by policemen from the Administrative Law Enforcement section and the birds were confiscated.
Mr Scicluna called for guidelines, which he said were lacking, on what should be done in such instances.
BirdLifeMalta in a reaction to Mr Scicluna's comments, said conditions set by the Veterinary Affairs Division to run the Malta Falconry Center in Siggiewi had not been met.
"All birds need to be identified by closed rings or electronic identification chips to show that they are not wild birds but captive bred. However last month, 15 illegally kept wild protected birds were confiscated by the (police) ALE and MEPA from the Malta Falconry Centre. A further three birds are under investigation as they are also of suspect origin." Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager, said.
BirdLife Malta denied claims made by Mr. Sciciluna that he had contacted it about the release of birds.
"There has been no official contact between the Falconry Centre and BirdLife Malta," the conservation organisation insisted.
"The only contact I had with Mr. Scicluna was in November when he was attending a business meeting at my professional office with some of my work colleagues and not at the BirdLife premises. I met Mr Scicluna for only a couple of minutes when he sought my help and that of birdwatchers to try to locate a Golden Eagle that had gone missing from his centre. If Mr. Scicluna had said anything about any wild protected birds in his possession, I would have immediately warned him that it was illegal to keep them and that he should contact the authorities." Joseph Mangion, president of BirdLife Malta said.
BirdLife said it is not against falconries as long as regulations are observed.
Video shows other birds at the falconry.
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Denis Bartolo
Dec 19th 2008, 22:52
I have visited the Falconry Centre and think it is a pretty educational experience.
We were told that all birds were bred in captivity - seems not quite so.
If the falconry did recieve injured birds , did they report this to someone- lets see documentation.
The falconry claims to have released birds back to the wild- did they log all this - is there any documentation available?
Mr. Sciluna says he does it from his own pocket - surely - with intent to make money on his investment - nothing wrong with that - it is commerce.
Does he expect to get funding for what he does?
Bred in captivity birds know no better than a cage or enclosure , however comfortable and clean it is kept, a birds only wish is to fly the open skies.
Many birds were taken to the Falconry center- only natural laymen would do this - I would- but would also want to put my mind at rest that such bird will be released back to the wild.
If mr. Scicluna does not have a permit to care for injured animals, an application does not give him approval.
Could these be pretended opportunities.
S. Camilleri
Dec 19th 2008, 22:51
I have to agree 100% with Andrew Gatt. I am not a hunter and abhor hunting and most often support many Birdlife decisions. However this time the organisation is acting like a SPOILT BRAT. It should shut up and collaborate with people like Rennie Scicluna who has managed quite successfully into channelling his energies away from hunting to falconry. His is a classic case of *selling* a sustainable way of handling birds and the best way of educating future generations about the folly of certain hunting practices.
Keep it up Rennie. Grow up Birdlife...
m.vassallo
Dec 19th 2008, 21:43
regarding the falconary centre, one can go with his family anytime and enjoy a great show.contrary to the reserves run by birdlife on has to book to go in.
Denis Catania
Dec 19th 2008, 19:58
In this case Birdlife overstepped thier boundries. Birdlife members are given to much power. Why where these birds taken out of the Maltese Islands??? Can't Birdlife take care of them themselves in Malta??? Why should we only listen to what Birdlife has to say??? Why is Birdlife playing prosecutor, judge and jailer??? Why is the government letting them do that??? Can they show us a video of the Falconry in Sicily??? Maybe the hunters and trappers are right about Birdlife.
Biedlife should be working with Mr.Scicluna not against him. Mr.Scicluna I commend you. Birdlife must be all about the EU funding they get.
Andrew Gatt
Dec 19th 2008, 12:30
In this case Birdlife have acted like spoilt children who want to keep their toys to themselves! Mr Camilleri has done an incredile job at his centre and deserves every encouragement to continue. He has educated and informed people from all walks of life and all ages (INCLUDING HUNTERS) about falconry, raptors and conservation....all this at his personal expense. No funds from the EU here! No moaning to the EU to get attention!
Using Birdlife's own arguments, they must therefore be in breach of the law each and every time they parade protected species to the media, accompanied by the usual blanket accusations, generalisations and mudslinging.
Who's running this country anyway? Government, or these self-appointed few dozen activists??
J. Borg
Dec 18th 2008, 18:30
Birdlife responsibility is to ensure that birds are cared for in duly approved centres
I am assuming that Rennie acted in good faith
The big question relates to why is it taking over 2 yrs for his application to be either accepted or declined for specific reasons.
Even a refusal would at least assit Rennie to rectify the areas found wanting.
So who is holding such approval and why?
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Dec 18th 2008, 18:30
“It should also be noted that Mr Scicluna does not have a license to rehabilitate injured wild birds, as required by law. The birds have thus been sent to a licensed rehabilitation centre in Sicily.”
Would it not have been better to help Mr. Scicluna acquire the necessary training and facilities to merit “a license to rehabilitate injured wild birds, as required by law” rather than stress the birds further by sending them abroad? Birdlife may be doing a reasonably good job but I do not see why they should have a monopoly where bird welfare is concerned. Such a centre in Siggiewi would help more people and school children - particularly from the surrounding towns and villages – appreciate the art of falconry as well as the importance of Bird rehabilitation. Any chance of tapping EU Structure Funds for such a purpose, please?
Rennie Scicluna
Dec 18th 2008, 09:02
Malta Falconry Centre - Rennie Scicluna
We wish to point out that the injured birds were destined to be released back to the wild. Numerous birds received at the centre have already been released.
There were birds that were permanently injured and cannot be released, these birds arrived at the centre in this condition. The egret was being cared for due to it having it's wings clipped. The bird arrived at the centre in this condition!!! Now Birdlife say that the egret will have to stay in Sicily for 1 year before she is released - the same as we said at the centre.
We applied for the relevant permits to care for and treat the injured birds and release them, 2 and a half years ago. Why haven't we got the permit? We pay for the costs of keeping the birds ourselves - we get no help or funding. Surely it's better to look after these birds and not let them die? For most people it is common sense to bring an injured bird of prey to a bird of prey centre!
Ray Bajada
Dec 17th 2008, 20:12
Mr Scicluna claims that he kept these birds to cure them and then release them.......a noble act but if law is applied to the letter ; then Police / MEPA/ Birdlife may be right..
HOWEVER, if law is ALWAYS applied to the letter, then NO ONE IS ALLOWED BY LAW TO BE IN POSSESSION OF A PROTECTED BIRD (DEAD OR ALIVE). How many times have we seen Birdlife members posing with PROTECTED BIRDS in their hands and how many times did MEPA/ Police apply the law to the letter in respect of Birdlife members??????
Two weights two measures??? Pro Birdlife anti hunting???
Richard Cachia Zammit
Dec 17th 2008, 19:45
@Joe Camilleri
I think I'll believe Birdlife because for a long time they have been reporting injured birds, found mostly by the general public and many remarked that they were showing the same bird or that they were lying etc etc. Luckily Mr Rennie Scicluna here has proven them right by saying "people regularly took injured birds to the centre." That also shows clearly the extent of illegal hunting and again proves Birdlife correct.
Further more, I have been to Falconry Centres abroad and the first thing they tell you is that the birds they have are all captive bred and they themselves are against anyone keeping WILD birds for display. Any injured wild bird should be forwarded to the authorities as keeping a protected wild bird in captivity is ILLEGAL.
Joe Camilleri
Dec 17th 2008, 19:37
@Geoffrey Saliba
"people do not confuse these two issues" but birdlife seem to confuse between what is HUNTING and what is POACHING to reach their agenda.
D Camilleri
Dec 17th 2008, 18:51
As someone who has visited mr scicluna`s falconry centre many times, I can only have words of praise for what this man is trying to do, by giving the public the opportunity to see these raptors and learn to appreciate them more ,and most importantly alive, but then again the law must be upheld. As far as I`m concerned this is a case of a person trying to keep injured birds alive, and not someone trying to fool people. The investment this man made at the falconry centre must have been considerable and the high standards kept for the well being of the birds.
This incident should not deviate the population`s (including most hunters) will to stop illegal hunting once and for all
Noel Galea
Dec 17th 2008, 18:25
So now, after being released from the siggiewi prison and transferred to the sicilian prison, they will be shot down by sicilian hunters instead of maltese ones :)
tony caruana
Dec 17th 2008, 18:23
Who is running this country ?
The PN or Birdlife ?
Jason Borg
Dec 17th 2008, 17:37
@Mario Grech - please note that birds are living things and not a piece of fajjenza which is put in a showcase for people to admire. The confiscated birds were taken illegally from the wild. They do not belong to the Siggiewi prison. If you want to admire wildlife in this way, subscribe to Animal Planet or the Discovery Channel.
Geoffrey Saliba
Dec 17th 2008, 17:36
BirdLife Malta would like to make the following clarification – BirdLife Malta is not against falconry centres as long as they operate within the law. This means that the birds have to be captive bred and the expressed conditions for the license of the centre are all met. In the case of the Malta Falconry Centre however, a large number of protected wild birds were being kept illegally. This is why they were confiscated by the ALE and MEPA. Contrary to claims by Mr Scicluna, these birds were not being kept for rehabilitation and release, as these wild birds had been kept illegally in captivity for extended periods of time (in some cases years). Furthermore, some of these birds were not even injured, yet had been kept in the centre regardless. It should also be noted that Mr Scicluna does not have a license to rehabilitate injured wild birds, as required by law. The birds have thus been sent to a licensed rehabilitation centre in Sicily. This is not therefore about falconry or the display of captive bred birds, but the illegal keeping of wild protected birds. It is very important that people do not confuse these two issues.
lgalea
Dec 17th 2008, 17:33
Birdlife,
I am no hunter and agree that birds should not be killed, but you are exceedingly getting arrogant and going to absurd limits in your brainwashing at bird protection.
Why don't you go to other countries where they allow hunting and bird keeping and also have zoos and start lobbying and taking action there.
Mario Grech
Dec 17th 2008, 16:45
We have visited the falconry several times and students found this place very interesting. Indeed many students have re-visited this place with their family and friends. These birds are very well kept and it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to admire these birds of pray so closely. Thus, this initative is helping young generations to love and treasure these creatures alive in a safe environment.
Joseph A Borg
Dec 17th 2008, 16:41
@ George Borg: You're a genius! We could develop a master plan to save all the birds flying over these islands by capturing them and keeping them safe from hunters! We can start a breeding programme as well! Imagine the possibilities!
I think the government accounting office would be a bit worried about the cost/benefit of this though, pointing to the far less costly option of limiting hunting and enforcing Maltese laws…
D. Zammit
Dec 17th 2008, 15:52
Shame on Bird Life Malta !!!! Are they above the law to dictate the law to Governmental authorities?
It is a pity that a democratic country like Malta is run by people with hidden agendas such as Bird Life. Why don't these people mind their own business and let others do the same? Are they perfect? Surely NOT!!!
We all hope that authorities like MEPA and Police ALE go after the REAL KNOWN law breakers and not a falconry. Malta is full of illegal buildings and that should be the main priority.
Joe Camilleri
Dec 17th 2008, 15:43
And whom of both people, should we really believe? Those who repeatedly say that hunters kill millions of protected birds and without any proof (just for the occasional poacher) or Mr Rennie Scicluna, who always cared for birds and without the millions of euros from the EU
Maria Schembri
Dec 17th 2008, 15:24
yes it is open for public - see http://www.maltafalconrycentre.com/
I have a feeling that in this case Mr. Scicluna is not lying, and that BirdLife are out on a witch-hunt. I don't think that anyone would invest so much of his time and money and jeopardize it by keeping birds illegally. And after all this is a public centre, anyone can go and see what kind of birds he keeps. I believe that BirdLife should help Mr. Scicluna in his efforts to help the Maltese public appreciate nature and wildlife which has been destroyed by hunters.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Dec 17th 2008, 15:11
I am very sensitive to the plight of birds in Malta and enjoy having them flit around me while gardening in England. But I really am starting to fear that some groups are taking over the country and if what Mr. Rennie Scicluna is quoted as saying is correct, the way he has been treated is disgusting. I always wonder about the motivation of extreme behaviour
George Borg
Dec 17th 2008, 14:13
For the birds' safety, probably it's better if they stay at the falconry to be taken care of. Letting them free would mean driving them into a kamikazi mission. Poor birds wont even make it from Siggiewi to Gozo as they'll be already shot down! There are falconries across Europe, so why cant we have one in Malta?
Byron Camilleri
Dec 17th 2008, 13:42
Is this open to the public?