There has been no improvement on illegal hunting this year compared with 2008, a detailed analysis of shot protected birds received since the start of the autumn migration on August 15 to date, and the illegal hunting incidents recorded by BirdLife during the three week Raptor Camp period shows.
BirdLife said that its Raptor Camp between September 12 and October 4, recorded 467 illegal hunting and trapping incidents.
Moreover, since the beginning of the autumn migration BirdLife received 50 confirmed shot protected birds from 34 different locations. This did not include the remains of over 200 protected birds that were discovered in Mizieb last month.
Last year during the same period the conservation organisation received 56 confirmed shot protected birds from 37 locations.
The total number of confirmed shot protected birds BirdLife received since the beginning of the year was slightly higher than last year’s figures – 85 birds were received in 2009, as opposed to 76 birds received in 2008.
BirdLife underlined the fact that the protected birds received by the organisation represented only the tip of the iceberg, as birds first had to escape the poacher who shot them, then be found by someone who was willing to handle and collect them, and then be passed on to BirdLife Malta. All birds were examined by an independent vet to verify their injuries and then passed on to the police.
The illegal activities observed during three weeks of Raptor camp this year included 82 incidents of poachers shooting at and injuring or killing protected birds of 14 species.
The three most commonly targeted species were Honey-buzzard, Marsh Harrier and European Bee-eater. There were also 227 incidents (totalling 404 shots) of “hunting after permitted hours”, 64 incidents of illegal electronic lures, 48 incidents of using modified shotguns and 16 trapping related offences.
Furthermore, 38 protected species were seen in flight with visible gunshot injuries including Marsh Harriers, Honey-buzzards, Common Kestrels, Lesser Kestrels, Black Kite and Blue Rock Thrush.
“Our volunteers could cover only a small percentage of the Maltese islands at a given time. Yet, the high amount of illegal hunting we observe year after year not only shows that Malta continues to be a black spot for bird conservation in Europe, but it also shows that there is almost no improvement.
“This is not surprising at all, since the politicians are more interested in appeasing the hunting lobby rather than stopping these crimes that damage Malta’s reputation. Tolga Temuge, BirdLife Malta executive director said.