Illegal hunting down but still rampant - BirdLife
Illegal spring hunting is still rampant, with birdwatchers recording 2,699 shots fired during a two-week camp in April, according to BirdLife Malta.
On one particular day, April 23, 596 shots were recorded by the organisation's Spring Watch camp.
Even though the number of illegal hunting incidents fell by around 11 per cent when compared to last year, BirdLife said the problem remained widespread, especially in the south where birds of prey gathered in the late afternoon.
The results tally with those of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (Cabs), a German-based conservation organisation which last month said it noticed a decrease in illegal hunting compared to last year.
The figures from BirdLife Malta's spring migration and anti-poaching camp were released along with those of its Italian counterpart LIPU BirdLife Italy. The results showed that illegal hunting was still a significant problem in the Mediterranean portion of the European-African migratory route, BirdLife said.
The camps highlighted the seriousness of illegal hunting in Malta, conservation manger André Raine said.
BirdLife also criticised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's recent statement that there was no need to set up a special wildlife crime unit.
Malta was the only European country without a pair of breeding birds of prey, including the locally extinct Maltese (Peregrine) falcon, since the last pair was shot at Ta' Ċenċ in 1982, Dr Raine said.
The Italian wildlife crime unit, the Corpo Forestale, was fundamental for the protection of migratory birds. "We strongly believe the Maltese government should set up a specific unit to prevent the alarming level of poaching and to preserve our migratory birds," said BirdLife Italy's head of nature conservation Claudio Celada.
The Italian and Maltese conservation camps also focused on the importance of raptor migration over the Mediterranean Sea. In Malta, 81 migratory species, including 12 species of raptor, were recorded. Significant numbers of Marsh and Montagu's harriers were counted and several rare or globally threatened species, such as the lesser kestrel and pallid harrier were also seen.
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Clayton Stellini
Jun 3rd 2009, 17:45
Birdlife is out of Fuel ??
Good one Fabian Borg!
Anna Maria Rosso
Jun 1st 2009, 21:30
WOW, how accurate Birdlife are! ...."2699 shots fired ....". This number reminds me of quoted prices. Are birdwatchers sure they did not hear one other shot, just to round the figure to 2700? And then we have "..... 596 shots ......." How credible!
Fabian Borg
Jun 1st 2009, 20:48
No news is Good news.-
Repeated news is no news.-
Repeated News from Birdlife = Good news for Hunters.-
i.e. Birdlife is out of Fuel ??
Steven Brockwell
Jun 1st 2009, 19:26
give us a break bird life even your German friends said there is nothing to shoot here. wake up watch, caccatorrie e pesca. this guy in the USA shot a hundred pigeons in 2 hours ????? so what the hell are you on about grow up and look else were Malta is bare simple as that xx
John Matthews
Jun 1st 2009, 18:47
Isn't it about time that Birdlife Malta should distinguish the difference betweet HUNTING and SHOOTING.
It makes a mockery of their statements. However I am not surprised, as their previous statements have been disproved over and over again .
@ Birdlife Malta. Back up your statements with facts NOT fiction.
If Birdlife Malta can PROVE their statements, it is their duty to report these "facts" to the police.
If they cannot back up their statements, or, the so called witnesses are not prepared to come forward, in case of libelous statements, then do not make stupid statements to the press, hoping that sensationalism will win them support.
People today are not as gullible as many years ago.
It surprises me that TOM print their rubbish, particularly when it has been admitted by Birdlife Malta, that some of their "FACTS" have been ridiculed
If, for example, FKNK have funding from other organisations, perhaps then they could fight these accusations on an even playing field.
MONEY SPEAKS !!!!
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Jun 1st 2009, 12:15
So illegal hunting is down but still rampant. Up to some time ago it was millions of birds shot now its down to a few thousand.
Had Birdlife Malta stuck to its intended acceptance of derogation for spring hunting, as it confirmed it would in a press conference before EU accession, most of what they now term as illegal hunting would not be illegal hunting at all.
In fact most of the shots they say they heard were most definitely taken at Turtle Dove and Quail. Obviously they never report finding any of these, since whoever has the audacity to flaunt the current ban, makes a good meal of any birds caught. The few protected birds they find shot proves that such persecution is indeed negligible.
Birdlife say they approve of legal hunting. Yet by lobbying for an end to spring hunting, after having agreed to it, they are in fact making Malta's main hunting season illegal.
If they want a Wildlife Crime Unit why not fund it themselves. after all it is only them and their partners that see the need for it.
Governments denial of their request only goes to show the truth.
Joe Camilleri
Jun 1st 2009, 10:19
Just recycled news which was featured on 27th May http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090527/local/illegal-hunting-still-significant-in-the-med-birdlife
These types of letters are nothing more than cheap propoganda, filled with unfounded statments to continue putting pressure on the government.