CABS operation safe haven in September
A honey buzzard.
CABS, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter, is conducing a three-week camp on Malta in autumn to monitor and combat illegal bird hunting.
The activity, named Operation Safe Haven, will see 32 volunteer bird guards in Malta between September 11 and October 4. Their tasks will include monitoring and recording illegal trapping and hunting of protected bird species, assisting the police in the detection and apprehension of offenders.
The volunteers, from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and the USA will be supported by three full-time CABS staff and a veterinary surgeon.
Eight mobile teams, with operational areas of some 15 square kilometres in area, will be deployed daily to cover as much of the island as possible. Their efforts will be concentrated on the poaching hot spots known from previous CABS’ operations such as the areas around Girgenti, Rabat, Siggiewi, Zurrieq, Marsascala, Luqa und Dingli, as well as the important bird of prey night roosts in Buskett, Mizieb and Mellieha Ridge.
“Those observed shooting at protected bird species will be observed and photographed by our well-equipped teams and reported to the police” Cabs president Heinz Schwarze said.
He said that in past years poachers increasingly invaded night roosts, frightened the birds with spotlights, and ‘sportingly’ shot them down from their perches. To combat this CABS teams will protect large night roosts throughout the night. Night viewing devices and infra-red cameras will be issued to selected team members to enable identification of offenders and their vehicles in the hours of darkness.
The operation will, as ever, be discussed in detail in advance with the police and is supported by the Maltese branch of the International Animal Rescue.
"As always we hope for a quiet and safe passage of migrant birds over the islands to their winter quarters in Africa", Mr Schwarze said.
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r sammut
Aug 22nd 2009, 16:28
@Carmelo Aqulina
Sir even those who keep on the right side of the law do not mind the occasional security check, but at times still feel the embarrassment! But how would you feel if under continuous surveillance as: when driving, at a place of work or entertainment or at the beach people where certain individuals keep poking their nose? Would it not bother you the least to have people breathing down your neck without giving a break?
Now if these individuals are foreigners who come here on a purpose; to tarnish Malta’s image at even the slightest doubt? Applauding such manoeuvres is a show of ones patriotic colours!
John Inguanez
Aug 22nd 2009, 13:15
@Carmelo Aquilina,
If I am in a field which I lease for hunting and trapping, that is my private property and no one can take pictures in it. That is private. And hi mate, I am not a hunter. Just don't want foreigners meddling in our affairs. Do we here Maltese protesting in London against fox hunting.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Aug 22nd 2009, 12:29
Mr Heinz Schwarze, I am still waiting for your assurance / answer to my question!!!
ARE THESE CABS MEMBERS BEING ARMED AGAINST THE MALTESE HUNTERS?!!
Sir, is it so difficult to give your assurance and put our minds at rest?! Are readers to understand that your avoiding to give such an assurance is to be taken as meaning that these CABS members are actually being armed against our co-citizens? What do the extremist anti-hunting lobby commenting below have to say about this?
Joe camilleri
Aug 22nd 2009, 11:26
So now these holier-than-thou are comming again, having a summer vacation from the backs of Birdlife and co..
@ John Inguanez
as long as he is a forigner, he can do what he wants with us, 2nd class EU citizens, in this tiny Malta.
Carmelo Aquilina
Aug 22nd 2009, 01:45
@ John Inguanez
if you go to a public place then you do not have a right to privacy
@ andrew Fatt
The hunters have always crippled or opposed any legal actions poaching and its enforcement. If the hunters were really sincere about rooting out the "minority" of poachers theyw ould be joinging CABS in finding and prosecuting poachers. How many poachers has the FKNK reported to the police ? How many times have there been documented criminal acts and all we get is excuses ? Hunters have no-one else to blame except themselves for this delusional state of denial about the large number of poachers hiding under the 'conservationsit' umbrella. Shelter them and make excuses for them and you are as guilty.
Mario Borg
Aug 21st 2009, 23:41
What does it feel like to watch a free wild bird and then blast it out of the sky (or more likely out of a branch) and then look at it die.
How does that make you hunters feel?
Honest question.
V.Agius
Aug 21st 2009, 22:54
WOW!! they are really coming in hard this time! Who are they coming for? Why not also call the SWAT team? Do we need foreigners to control and tell us what to do? Poor island.
J fARRUGIA
Aug 21st 2009, 22:28
we dont need foreign interference. let's aopply mintpoff's law against these invaders.
Chris Finch
Aug 21st 2009, 22:05
Again, I am at a loss as to why those people who want to see God's creatures passing unmolested are extremists.
Would the hunters class the Lord Jesus Christ as an extremist as surely He would be against the killing of these innocent creatures for pleasure?
Surely it is more of an extreme standpoint to want to kill a living creature just for a hobby.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Aug 21st 2009, 20:32
I have this simple question for Mr Heinz Schwarze:- Can he please give me an assurance that these CABS members are not being armed against the Maltese hunters? Sir, I expect an answer to this long outstanding question. If this is not forthcoming, are we to understand that these individuals are actually being armed against our co-citizens?
adrian aquilina
Aug 21st 2009, 20:19
well done cabs....hope you stop all the illegal shooting..sad thing being we would not need them if the "hunters" knew how to behave.........
Edward Zammit
Aug 21st 2009, 17:53
Welcome to real PESTS, we DON'T WANT you and we definitely DON'T NEED you. I am no hunter but I know for a fact that these persons trespass on private property and damage crops in doing so and who pays for these damages ?? The poor farmers themselves.
joseph lia
Aug 21st 2009, 17:31
@Edward camilleri, who ever said that someone or anyone is afraid of CABS!?
You, sir, should read the extremist filth these so called protectionists are writing about your own country! I for one have always been on the side of the Law, there is ample proof that this poaching saga is not limited only in malta, your hatred campaign has no bounds. On the same argument why don't WE get the British Vice Squad to offer a safe haven against drug lords?, maybe 'the more the merrier' against car thefts, the Costa Carabinieri against illegal fishing or the Libyans against the so called iLLEGAL immigrants!? Yes get the CABS, anyway when they get fed up they can always trot over to Sicily like last year, Malta killed all the raptors!!!! Pathetic
lgalea
Aug 21st 2009, 17:25
John INguanez
As far as I know they cannot without your permission.
How about it Data Commissioner?
To CABS go check what happens in your own countries and don't fail to see the beam in your own eyes and yet see the straw in ours.
Government, they have NO right to interfere in our internal affairs.
Are you there Gonzi or are you still hibernating?
r sammut
Aug 21st 2009, 17:14
Where is a there a safer haven for CABS to do such camps? The freedom allowed these individuals to belittle Malta’s integrity is incredible! Unlike Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and the USA, Malta is a minnow. Then as lords of the land to watch and monitor this petit area makes it all too easy for CABS!
Illegalities apprehended in vast territories of larger countries are only the tip of the iceberg, as amply demonstrated on CABS own website. CABS ignorance in basics of charity and home lets their benevolence converge on Malta, a safer haven to enjoy a paid up holiday in the sun!
If then CABS see some irregularity, the bonus of the smear is on Malta… not their home land!
Andrew Gatt
Aug 21st 2009, 17:11
@ C Mallia......ah, but CABS are not just hypocritical do-gooders! They poke their noses into other, smaller countries' business while NEVER subjecting their OWN COUNTRY to the same level of lies, misinformation and bad-mouthing that they do to Malta. "Great work, CABS", is all you can say??! Are you serious??
Their self-declared and ultimate aim is to stop ALL hunting. Legal or otherwise. They are the other side of the poaching coin and there is no middle ground for them. Extremists. And so very cosy-cosy with IAR, Birdlife etc. And you expect me, and other law-abiding hunters who have NEVER broken the laws to welcome them?
Get lost, CABS. Stay in Germany and sort out your own issues. You certainly have enough to do there if your website is any indication.
John INguanez
Aug 21st 2009, 15:46
I have one question: Can anyone video me and keeps my image in his possession? This is an important question which CABS and Birdlife have to answer first.
salvu abela
Aug 21st 2009, 15:13
How interesting this could be,CABS coming to clean our country-side and yet all those massacres in their own country still going on . Just take a look at these web-sites
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?raptors
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?barbarastein
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?cormorants
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?falconry
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?morefotosgermany
Those are all in Germany.
Now these are in Italy---
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?garda
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?brescia0309
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?naples
These in Bulgaria --
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?balkans
http://www.komitee.de/en/index.php?bulgaria
When you`re small , you`re small. All the big countries can do anything.
Edward Camilleri
Aug 21st 2009, 14:17
welcome CABS! the more members you bring the merrier!
If anyone is afraid of CABS & others who want to see birds alive, then it only means one thing, you are doing something atrocious or illegally!
joseph lia
Aug 21st 2009, 14:15
Illegality and poaching is unfortunately a common occurance worldwide, poisoning of raptors in the UK, Germany and Belgium. Poaching of raptors in Italy, Spain and Turkey and loads more from the European Continent.But to give the thumbs up @ CV Gauci and I Borg, to CABS!!! Unbelievable!! Extremists who are involved in ruining Malta's image! And no do not blame it on the poachers, the ALE and local enforcement DO not need these infiltrators, they are capable enough to deal with such problems, such problems that are found everywhere. ONLY IN MALTA!
E. Azzopardi
Aug 21st 2009, 14:03
They come because we are incapable of seeing to this ourselves. Nobody trusts us and with good reason. If we had the minimum of national pride we would take care of it ourselves seriously, but seriously and then we can even start believing ourselves what we say and above all what we DO.
C Mallia
Aug 21st 2009, 13:37
Great work CABS. You are needed.
@Andrew Gatt
Wherever illegalities happen in the EU, NGOs like CABS have every right (within legal boundaries) to organise and help in controlling wildlife crime. Between mid-Sept to begining of October, birds of prey are mainly migrating in the central mediterranean and not in Germany.
David Borg Cardona
Aug 21st 2009, 13:22
Operation Safe Haven ??!!!! It sounds as if CABS are coming to re-enact Operation Desert Storm. So now they are once again coming back again to police our countryside whilst thousands of law abiding hunters are being collectively punished and have to put their guns away by 15.00 hrs.. All of this put into force by a government who cannot control the few rogue hunters in our midst and is desperately trying to accomodate BLM, IAR and their foreign lackeys. We shall now start seeing the usual dramatic photos and sensational statements by CABS directed at a gullible public in order to vaguely impress and eventually generate more dosh for their coffers !! Conveniently so, BLM disassociate themsleves from CABS, but at the end we all know what their aims are... to abolish hunting outright. And then they blame us hunters for not wanting to co-operate with such abolitionists. What do they expect ?? A welcome with scones and coffee ?? To Davd Conlin (in advance).. pls inform us of your flight number.. we might turn out en masse with bouqets of flowers welcoming you back !!!!
carmen V Gauci
Aug 21st 2009, 13:13
Thumbs up for the CABS.
Andrew Gatt
Aug 21st 2009, 12:42
"Unlike other EU states, there is a widespread lack of hunting controls in Germany. The maxim here is self-control. In many hunting preserves shooting of raptors, poisoning of ‘predators’ and other offences against hunting and nature protection legislation, is therefore the order of the day", sez CABS's own website.
But they come to Malta, accomodated by a spineless government that prefers to impose collective punishments on thousands of law-abiding Maltese citizens instead of doing its job and eradicating the minority of poachers that WILL CONTINUE to break the law. Irrespective of bans. Irrespective of laws. Irrespective of seasons.
Operation Safe Haven??!! How dramatic! Sounds like some earthquake-relief effort! But then drama, hype, sensationalism and exaggeration are the norm for these extremists. Nothing new.
david.P
Aug 21st 2009, 12:31
Finally a lock down in illegal hunting/trapping
I Borg
Aug 21st 2009, 12:20
Good luck and your work is highly appreciated. You're always welcome!
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