Monday, 14th September 2009
Alert bird watchers lead to police seizing protected species
The police yesterday morning seized 29 protected birds (waders) after they were alerted to the presence of trappers in Baħrija.
The alert was raised by international bird watchers on the first day of a CABS watch. CABS has called its watch Operation Safe Haven.
The team said that, after detecting the trapping site, its members observed it from a distance and it soon became clear that two nets, both some 40 metres long, had been set up.
"We became suspicious and decided to take a closer look," CABS press officer Axel Hirschfeld said. The distinctive taped calls of a redshank, a protected species, were heard emitting from a loudspeaker. Through a spotting scope, the CABS members were able to confirm the presence of protected bird species in an aviary adjacent to the trapping site.
"As we began to collect evidence on film from a nearby track, a stout half-naked middle-aged man ran out of the hut, blocked our way, and began to regale us with foul language," he said. The man then opened the birdwatchers' car door and spat directly in the face of the passenger. Everything was recorded on film.
"In order to prevent the situation from escalating, the conservationists drove off and alerted the police. The ALE (administrative law enforcement) patrol that arrived promptly arrested the culprit shortly afterwards and took him to the police HQ in Floriana for questioning."
A second ALE patrol searched the trapping site and freed 29 little stints and wood and common sandpipers. The birds, which were neither ringed nor registered with the authorities, were confiscated and later released into the wild at Għadira nature reserve, CABS said.
CABS said the trapper faced prosecution for offences against bird protection regulations. CABS said it insisted that no charges should be pressed against the man who spit at one of its members, adding that the man had apologised.
The CABS teams will be in Malta until October 4.
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Comments
Sport is when individuals or teams compete against each other under equal circumstances to determine who is better at a given game or endeavor.Hunting will only be a sport when birds are given guns.As for it's a tradition,yes it goes right back to early man & cavemen.
Only some of them chose to develope & moved on.
2. Apparently, in your view, there is no space for anything you disagree with. Your way or else! Prosit. The very essence of democracy and tolerance.
3. Regarding the Cassar issue, have you considered that it also may be a case of "the blind leading the blind" or "fools never differ"....... as they say?
Take your pick!
I think you know better why police never see illegalities! to start with, when a police officer visits a site, every hunter informs the next one, and so on. Do you think this is right? Do you think that the 'legal hunters' are doing the right thing to defend their despecable hobby? Then blame it on birdlife when hunting restrictions are imposed.
Second, our politicians, both in government & in opposition, cannot see beyond the power of the vote! Else they would get out the army and anyone caught hunting/trapping illegally thrown in prison!
Where did you find such info about (non) hunting in Europe? Not only is it being done, but also on much larger scales all over the EU. In places 365 days a year! Why blame Malta hunters as barbaric, when hunting matters are even included in school curricula for children in EU states? Here we have just the opposite; the brain washing of the future Maltese generations!
'Insulting thousands of Maltese citizens' indeed. I would really love to know the exact number of hunters / Trappers on this little island. If we have thousands of hunters, this is very alarming as it means that we have thousands of people going about carrying rifles ( I wonder how many soldiers we have in our army), on the other hand if we have also thousands of trappers, it means that we have thousands of people who have as yet have not caught up to the 21st centary. Who have not as yet learnt the meaning of progress and are still stuck with their bad habits, and living in the past.
The EU has a very large part to play since it publicises activities such as these across the whole zone. That's why you now get visitors from other EU countries coming to Malta to help stop the carnage. It's their right to do this as it is yours to travel to other EU countries and protest if you feel fit to. It works very well allowing a spotlight to be targeted onto the culprits. There's no where to hide anymore and the individuals involved in hunting/trapping realise this. They're time is up and not a moment too soon.
And what has the EU got do with it anyway? The local laws are there, they are HARSH and the penalites are severe. Better ask why it's always these nosey-parker abolitionists that always find illegalities that the police never seem to. Food for thought!
The hunters are really showing they're complete lack of education, welfare and well being of the environment when they continulally act in this way. They won't change becaause they represent the worst in Malta but fortunately they are a dying breed (sorry for the pun). Within 5 years they will be by far the exception as education and ideas from the rest of the EU percolate into Maltese culture and extinguish such out of date and barbaric activities. Culture is always evolving and should never be seen to be a fixed entity and this can only enhance the Maltese culture for the better.