FKNK "strongly denounces" shooting of protected birds reported by BirdLife

The hunters federation (FKNK) said in a statement that it strongly denounced the illegal shooting of protected bird species and strongly condemned such shootings as reported by BirdLife at a press conference on Monday.

"The illegal shooting of protected bird species is not hunting" the federation said, adding that as it has done in the past it will expel any of its members who may be convicted of such crimes.

"These reports have proved yet again that not opening the traditional hunting season for the otherwise legal quarry as the turtle dove and the quail in spring, has done nothing to stop these few law-breakers who still persist in shooting protected species," the federation said.

"It is morally wrong and unfair that the government is banning traditional hunting and trapping because it fails to control the few irresponsible law-breakers, and the thousands of bona fide hunters and trappers are suffering very serious health and mental consequences, a couple of which have already led to tragedies," it added.

It said that with the thousands of bona fide hunters and trappers legally practicing their passions and the rigid self-regulation and deterrent system it had proposed since 2006, such illegal shooting of protected bird species should be eliminated.