Break-in at Għadira nature reserve
The Għadira Nature Reserve was broken into last Friday, the second time in under a month.
BirdLife Malta yesterday said the night watchman spotted a man crouching next to one of the bird watching hides and immediately called the police.
Reserve manager Mark Gauci said the police thoroughly searched the grounds but left when they didn't find the man. They returned when he was spotted a second time. No birds appear to have been harmed.
On Christmas Eve, the fence surrounding the nature reserve was cut open and the vandals laid a plank across the moat. However, that time it appeared more than one person was involved as two sets of footprints were found. Three live shotgun cartridges were also found by the reserve's warden on that occasion.
The reserve is one of two protected wetland areas and is the home of nationally important breeding populations. It is the only site on the island which has a breeding population of little ringed plovers.
Mr Gauci said BirdLife has now taken further security measures to prevent more break-ins.
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T Mifsud
Jan 21st 2009, 22:39
@Mark
Isn't it not better that your organization and FKNK report the wrong doers at once? Surely oth organizations have SOME sort ofcontrol over who has the licence and I am more than positive that hunters within the organizations KNOW the poachers first hand. After all the same hobby links them both, hopefully not the character too.
I think you achieve some credibility if you bring forward to justice your own people who commit these crimes.
lgalea
Jan 21st 2009, 15:13
How did that song go?
They seek him here,
They seek him there,
They seek him everywhere
But still they never find him.
Martin Polidano
Jan 21st 2009, 13:20
Fully agreed Mr.Mifsud Bonnici ... if proven guilty let him pay for his acts!!
But how can someone sling mud towards the hunting fraternity and the police corps unless he can prove his claims??
lgalea
Jan 21st 2009, 13:10
Wolf, wolf
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Jan 21st 2009, 12:51
"BirdLife has now taken further security measures to prevent more break-ins."
ABOUT TIME TOO!!!
Hopefully these measures will help apprehend any person that considers himself above the law.
Such people have to be eliminated at all costs. Fines alone will not serve this purpose. What is needed is the withdrawal of the shooting license (if any) for life, confiscation of any weapons plus a heavy fine or a prison term for those with previous similar convictions.
Such cases cannot be treated as mere hunting illegalities but as despicable acts of vandalism. It's about time the judiciary starts implementing the harsh penalties that such offenses carry. These sort are harming all the hunting community. It's about time these "untouchables" get what they deserve.
Birdlfie have depended solely on the GOVERNMENT PAID watchmen for the security of their sanctuaries. This seems far from adequate considering the funds Birdlife have at their disposal..
Next time round the felling of any trees, oil in the reserve or any such break ins can be attributed to "Hunters" without any doubts.