Illegal hunting as bad as last year – BirdLife
There has been no decline in illegal hunting this year compared with 2008, according to a BirdLife report released yesterday.
This conclusion was based on the number of shot protected birds the conservation group received since the start of the autumn migration and the illegal hunting incidents recorded by BirdLife during the recent three-week Raptor Camp.
The data were compared to the figures for the same period last year and there was no difference, BirdLife said.
Its Raptor Camp between September 12 and October 4 recorded 467 illegal hunting and trapping incidents and since the beginning of the autumn migration the conservation group 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 Miżieb 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 that BirdLife has received since the beginning of the year was slightly higher than last year’s figure – 85 birds were received in 2009, as opposed to 76 birds received throughout 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. All birds were examined by an independent vet to verify their injuries and then handed over to the police.
The illegal activities observed during the Raptor Camp this year included 82 incidents of poachers injuring or killing 14 species of protected birds.
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, because the politicians are more interested in appeasing the hunting lobby than stopping these crimes that damage Malta’s reputation,” Tolga Temuge, BirdLife Malta executive director, said.
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Simon Vella
Dec 23rd 2009, 14:57
@ V Falzon
Ha ha ha good joke mate!
dont tell me that people were awakened with gunshots because No one will believe you. Sound pollution is caused by anything. If you wake up with gunshots, I assume that you never sleep, either with the sound of cars, loud music, thunders, fireworks and god know's what. I pitty you. you should go and live on Filfla.
joseph scicluna
Oct 24th 2009, 07:21
Why all this fuss about the shooting down of skylarks? Ever noticed lines of anglers fishing for bogue (vopi) along portsides at night? What do you think is being caught there? A handful of fish? Why is it that everbody picks on hunters? Just because fishing rods dont make a BUM BUM sound? At times I think so. I was one of the people out when according to some 'sources' a very heavy passage of sylarks occured on 22 October and thousands where shot in Malta and Gozo.
I admit of witnessing this excitining scene which many 'greens' did not....my bag for the day? 3 larks...a far cry from the 'thousands' reported to be shot.
V Falzon
Oct 23rd 2009, 22:21
@ Andrew Gatt
Yes I get upset when I see Sky Larks fall from the sky. You, of course, will not understand this as you must be another of those big, strong macho men of steel with little time for people (or birds) who feel.
As for BirdLife's intentions, here's bad news for you: BirdLife is far from just about illegal hunting. it is also about spreading respect, fondness and a responsible attitude for nature, be it bird, insect, shrew or flower. BirdLife disagrees with the wanton destruction of life. And as BirdLife is a pressure group, just sitting pretty and quietly disagreeing is not in its instruction manual.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:57
Edward Camilleri
Rightfully so, Bird life did not cover the whole of Malta, but they did record hearing 404 shots during the afternoon ban.
Assuming each shot was fired by an individual hunter this would mean 404 hunters broke the law during the afternoon ban. most hunters use repeating shotguns with a maximum of 3 shots, this already reduces the assumed 404 hunters. Also considering that the shots heard could have been fired by the same people this reduces the possible number of illegal hunters even further.
Bird life might not be able to control all areas of Malta, but the sound of a shot on a calm afternoon travels for kilometers. So assuming that the amount of shots recorded is true (which only Birdlife can verify) this shows the true extent of illegal hunting.
Please bear in mind that there are over 16.000 hunters in Malta so if illegalities were a high percentage would only 404 shots be recorded in 15 afternoons?
Yes Mr. Camilleri we know exactly what you and your beloved Birdlife are after. Judging from the response you seem to be getting from the authorities, your deceit is being exposed faster then you can think.
Andrew Gatt
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:38
@ the anti-hunting commentators singing Birdlife's praises..............I thought it was only illegal hunting you lot are concerned about. Ah well, guess not. Thanks for confirming your real intentions in the posts, though.
Why not come straight out and say it! All these hypocrisy and holier-than-thou attitudes about a sport practicd legally by 10-12,000,000 hunters in the Europe you suck up to. Just because you disagree with it? And are you ALL so naive as to think nobody notices the carefully timed press releases, reports, statements, allegations, internet campaigns etc., released by Birdlife invariably before the opening of every season or hunting-related event? For heaven's sake, the press section on their website is 90% anti-hunting and about 10% ornithology!
Wow, you lot sure are upset............especially since the landmark ECJ ruling that not only opened up Spring Hunting, but also SPECIFICALLY shot down several wild and undounded claims. No wonder the drama and sob story brigade went into overdrive.
Gottta go, sorry! Early start tomorrow.
You can't fool all the people all the time.
V Falzon
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:20
@ Mario Salnitro
Can you, in your unfathomable wisdom, illuminate us as to just HOW the Mizieb story backfired in BirdLife's face? Just tell us. Please.
V Falzon
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:16
@ Simon Vella: "BirdLife, the Maltese people are fed up of your crap, lies..."
Ask Maltese people what woke them up yesterday morning, and they will tell you what they are really fed up of!
V Falzon
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:12
@ R Sammut.
You insinuate that irregularities happen at Ghadira. Well if you have proof, or even a hint of a suspicion of anything, come out in the open with them, man, why don't you? No seriously, why don't you? If not, then your words are empty air.
Meanwhile, a big thank you to all hunters for making yesterday such an invigourating celebration of life, as thousands of exhausted Sky Larks fell to the incessant barrage of your guns. Big men killing tiny birds with guns! And you want to be treated as serious adults! Dream on...
Jason Borg
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:06
@ r sammut
Your allegations about BirdLife & the reserves it manages are very serious indeed. I invite to write about them in this newspaper and provide proof and evidence. If you decline to do so, then what you said is a figment of your fertile imagination. Maybe it was a crumb of undigested skylark pie which is playing tricks on your line of reasoning.
r sammut
Oct 23rd 2009, 20:11
@Jason Borg
Mending misinformation and mistruths is like trying to re-collect feathers spewed into the wind! BirdLife makes it their mission to throw hunters into the worst light possible.
On the other hand hunters are not so inclined to spend time following the footsteps of BLM! To watch what is really happening on their reserves; how netted birds are handled; and checking on the 10% of world’s population of Yelkouan shearwater figure? Farmers in the vicinity of Ghadira reserve can perhaps recount a story or two, but again they wouldn’t be bothered to stir up trouble!
Edward Camilleri
Oct 23rd 2009, 19:21
@"the figures quoted point to a negligible percentage" - by Mark Mifsud Bonnici
I think you are grossly mistaken. You are assuming that Birdlife covered all Malta, and caught all illegal hunting acts. You know well that this is impossible. The number of illegalities caught were reported by a few raptor camp members, who in no way can cover all Malta! Furthermore as far as I know, no hunter or policeman has reported any illegal hunting, which goes to say in what state this glorious despecable sport of yours is!
Chris Finch
Oct 23rd 2009, 18:42
How on earth did the revealation that there was hundreds of protected birds killed by hunters hidden (or worse abandoned) in their reserve, backfire on Birdlife? What it did was expose the extent of illegalities amongst the hunting fraternity.
The only PR stunt that backfired recently was the one by the FKNK when it revealed that a large portion of its members were suffering a mental illness and still had their gun licenses.
Jason Borg
Oct 23rd 2009, 18:08
I am still waiting for the day when the hunters come up with the tiniest piece of evidence which disproves BirdLife's stance. All they do is repeat ad nauseum that what BirdLife says is one big lie. BirdLife has photographs of killed protected species (which are then handled to the police and not stored in freezers) to support its claims. What are the hunters going to offer us? Xi qalja alwett li mmasakrajtu lbierah? I know that sky larks are not protected species, but yesterday all of Malta got to know what hunting is all about. KILLING KILLING and more KILLING.
Simon Vella
Oct 23rd 2009, 16:17
The same old song goes on and on.
BirdLife, the Maltese people are fed up of your crap, lies and statistics. All you do is to
obscure us but the truth is finally coming out!
After the Mizieb farse I would shut up and show some respect!!
I go out hunting every day and did not see one protected bird being shot and I have seen protected species flying over hunters, who I congratulate for showing responsability and respect because NO ONE STISFIED YOUR THIRST FOR BLOOD.
WELL DONE HUNTERS!
mario salnitro
Oct 23rd 2009, 13:59
BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA DEJJEM LISTESS
CHANGE THE RECORD ALWAYS THE SAME COMMENTS, TRY SOMETHING NEW.
YOU TRIED THE MIZIEB STORY BUT THIS BACKFIRED IN YOUR FACE, BIRDLIFE.
YOU HAVE LOST ALL CREDIBILITY, TRY ANOTHER.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Oct 23rd 2009, 12:49
Illegal hunting is "AS BAS AS LAST YEAR" and probably as bad as the year before it.
It will also be as bad next year. In fact the figures quoted only point to one thing.
illegal hunting never did and never will get worse.
Observing "82 incidents of poachers"85 birds were received in 2009" and that "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." could in all possibility be the doing of a small number of people, or maybe even the same group of people.
Considering Malta's 16,000 hunters, the figures quoted point to a negligible percentage. If the incidents reported were to be carried out by the same people repeatedly this percentage decreases even further.
Any illegal activity is condemned and treated with a firm hand by the law. Illegal hunting is no exception. Yet Birdfie's thirst for a hunting free Malta make it seem so.
Henry Fenech Azzopardi
Oct 23rd 2009, 12:27
Allow me to make just some simple questions to Mr Tolga. How many cases were reported to the police? How many were in fact called in for questioning by the poilice? It may be dificult to catch a hunter shooting an illegal bird, but is it that difficult to report hunting after hunting permitted hours? Is it that difficult that out of 48 illegal electronic lures no one is reported? Is it difficult that out of 48 modified shot guns no one is reported? Is it difficult that out of 16 trapping offences no one is reported? and what a coincidence this news in the paper comes out on the eve of the ORNIS meeting. Another coincidence was the 200 dead birds in MIziep just after the ECJ judgement. I am still waiting for the conclusion of this MIZIEP saga, because acording to reliabl;e sorces only a very few (10 birds) were considered recently killed. What a shame and what an international bad image are Birdlife exposing to the touristic trade, just because we boast of free expression of speach. Carry on Birdlife but just remember that your figures were never credible at the European Court of Justice.
Anthony Formosa
Oct 23rd 2009, 11:18
“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.
@ Mr Temuge, Stop trying to impress the readers about Malta's reputation it's only a gimmick of BLM, tourists are complaining about everything except hunting because it exists worldwide. However BLM and your foreign friends are doing their utmost to picture Malta as a place of massacres, same as what greenpeace tried with our fishermen and proved them wrong.
Until yesterday those commented didn’t even know that hunting season was open, and this shows how poor hunting in Malta is. Whilst many people always complaint and suggested to exterminate pigeons from the cities and starlings that create a hazard to aircrafts, yesterday came all out against legitimate hunting.
Chris Finch
Oct 23rd 2009, 11:13
@Joe Camilleri. I think you will find it isn't a few who don't agree with your extremist view against BLM.
Also it is your ilk that feeds us gross misinformation, you say that today, not a shot could be heard, how come then I was woken up at 6am with the sound of gunshots which continued until after 8?
Keep up the good work Birdlife.
Joe Camilleri
Oct 23rd 2009, 10:19
Well, yesterday showed BLM's gross misinformation of facts it shoves down the throat of the gullible few. Yesterday’s south easterly winds brought flocks of skylarks (which could be legally hunted in all EU member states) in the morning.
This shows that
1) hunting in Malta depends on the weather conditions. In fact to-day, not even a shot could be heard.
2) we are not in the main migration path as BLM continuously preaches.
At least yesterday morning we experienced what other European hunters get every day. It is good to point out that not every south easterly wind brings flocks of birds.
Also if the politicians are more interested in appeasing the hunting lobby, as Tolga Temuge says, then they would not have stopped the hunting season for 2 consecutive years.