'It will take some years' for finches to breed again'

V Falzon

Nov 13th 2009, 21:31

@ Mario Salnitro

We don't need to wait for any election, we have no illusion that hunting will die out any day soon. But as long as you keep killing and catching birds for fun, people who prefer them alive and free will keep hounding you and spreading word of your crimes to all the winds. Count on it.

S Mizzi

Nov 13th 2009, 12:41

Ramon Casha. We're still waiting for your reaction. Did you or did you not report the illegal trapping that you claim to have witnessed? It is so easy to sling mud.

mario salnitro

Nov 13th 2009, 09:06

HI ALL YOU ANTI -HUNTING AND TRAPPING FANS

WE WILL HUNT AGAIN IN APRIL AND ALSO BIRD TRAPPING WILL BE ALLOWED !!!

YOU JUST WAIT TILL THE NEXT ELECTION, HAFNA BZIEQ GHALL XEJN.

SAY WHAT YOU SAY HUNTING AND TRAPPING WILL REMAIN.CIAO CIAO.

V Falzon

Nov 12th 2009, 19:00

@ Mark Mifsud Bonnici "...40000 people plus"

And by the way, which fairytale book exactly are you getting these figures from?

V Falzon

Nov 12th 2009, 18:58

@ Mark Mifsud Bonnici "...the countryside is now devoid of birdsong once trappers have been forced out."

I would rather hear a single wild chaffinch than thousands of finches singing from tiny cages that your big bully trapper friends plant all over our countryside in their manic craze to catch even more. Thankfully all that is banned now.

Andrew Gatt

Nov 12th 2009, 16:07

Carmelo Aquilina advises trappers to "buy an Ipod to enjoy birdsong". Prosit. Excellent suggestion. WHY didn't we think of it before!!!

Will you also advise fishermen to buy an aquarium to enjoy fish? Will you also advise men to buy Barbie dolls to enjoy female company? Will you also advise the world to buy soft toys to enjoy pets? Same difference, no??!

Comments such as yours are an indictment of the lack of understanding, the unwillingness to compromise and the inability to engage in constructive debate.

Il-banalitajiet tas-soltu, insomma.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Nov 12th 2009, 15:08

If you do not consider the picture of an empty trappers cage provcative, when 40000 people plus who have been trapping throughout their lives suddenly find that after an accession agreement that does not rule out all trapping, trapping is banned, then I do not know what is.

The poster depicts how trappers have been cheated out of their practices due to false claims that they are harming biodiversity.

As for an ipod in order to enjoy bird song. I guess this idea come from people of your sort who never heard the real thing. I can assure you that the countryside is now devoid of birdsong once trappers have been forced out. It has never been so silent and will remain so until trappers return.

The Commission did not ban trapping on the contrary it stated that trapping is possible under derogation. It is only Birdlife that want us to believe such crap.

Italy, Austria, Spain and France allow trapping and they have never cheated the EU into believing that their trappers are harming biodiversity.

Antoine Grima

Nov 12th 2009, 14:28

Finches would not breed in Malta for a number of years even though trapping stopped nearly a year ago, former trapper and ornithologist Joe Sultana said.
So what Joe Sultana is trying to say , is that it will take some years for the birds to realise that Malta is the perfect place for them to nest.Same as the Turtle Dove I guess.
Mr Sultana , why don't you accept the fact that you have no argument what so ever.
Prepare yourselves everyone , because soon we will be invaded by finches nesting everywere.
Nobody tempers with the finches at Buskett gardens , still , there is not the sound of a single bird there. NOT EVEN 1.
The number of people who believe you , are decreasing rapidly Mr Sultana.

carmelo aquilina

Nov 12th 2009, 13:20

@ Mark

what is so 'provocative' about 'gawdihom hielsha' (Enjoy the birds when they are free for non-ENglish readers). It sound better than 'imprision them in an unnaturally small cage'. If you don't like the slogan about 'let birds live' or 'if you want to enjoy bird song buy an ipod' ...

Joe Camilleri

Nov 12th 2009, 12:42

"Finches would not breed in Malta for a number of years even though trapping stopped nearly a year ago",Mr Joe Sultana, I can see that you are paving the way for your DISFATTA about finch breeding.

I wonder how with this news, no photo is shown about BLM's international seminar (sic). Well I will tell you why, its because there were more speakers than listeners.

"BirdLife Malta president Joseph Mangion said the project aimed to bring about dialogue between trappers, their organisation and conservationists", well but BLM got the money, that is the final target.

S Mizzi

Nov 12th 2009, 12:16

Ramon Casha. These aren't poachers yr talking about but trappers who allegedly set up their nets and lures and are stationery for a considerable amount of time, unlike the poacher who is constantly on the move and harder to apprehend. Did u report it? I don't recall reading any reports of arrests in the media in the past 2 weeks. Why didn't you report it? Well either because it isn't true, or because you were scared. Which is it please? On the off chance that you did make a report, can u inform us about the outcome please.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Nov 12th 2009, 12:14

Joe Sultana states "when birds were plentiful"
Global population according to 2008 IUCN data www.iucnredlist.org/ compiled by BIRDLIFE INTL.
CHAFFINCH 390,000,000-720,000,000 individuals
HAWFINCH 14,700,000-50,400,000
LIINNET 40,500,000-168,000,000
SISKIN 31,900,000-72,000,000
GREENFINCH 44,700,000-128,000,000
GOLDFINCH 73,500,000-348,000,000
SERIN 26,500,000-80,000,000

All the above finches are categorized as Least concern. Meaning none of these birds are Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened but Widespread and abundant.

WHAT EXACTLY IS PLENTIFUL MR. SULTANA?

Geoffrey Saliba is "seeking to understand how trappers felt about the changes". The changes actually consist of their lifetime practice being banned. Not bad for a "CHANGE"

A change brought about through devious means, that resulted in 175,000 euro from EU funds and 30,000 euro from MEPA should trappers participate in the project.

Well you can rest assured that no trapper will ever participate in what can only be termed as a ruthless plan to eradicate the trapping of a few birds, that are all abundant and nowhere near threatened.

This form of extremism is what people condemn. If indeed you played fair, regulating was the proper way. The road you chose only leads to conflict, hatred and some easy money.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Nov 12th 2009, 12:11

Ramon Casha
Are you aware that trapping for Thrush and Plover is legally allowed. So far that is, as we await Birdlife's campiagn that here too trappers are harming biodiversity or some other of their invented nonsense? Probably that Malta's trappers are effecting the population of the species!!!

I hear that after the 175,000 euro funding for an anti finch trapping campaign the EU intends funding the best jokers in Malta.

Guess who stands the biggest chance?

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Nov 12th 2009, 11:57

Joe Mangion

"It was a pity the hunters' federation, FKNK, had chosen not to attend the seminar although they were offered the chance to voice their opinions and concerns regarding trapping."

What trapping are you referring to Mr. Mangion? The one that you say is banned.

Do you expect people that have been trapping all their life to agree with your nonsense?

What exactly do you want to hear their opinion and concerns for. Do you intend reinstating trapping based on their opinion by any chance?

Why not bring along one of the provocative "GAWDIHOM HIELSA" posters to convince them how tactful Birdlife is in its approach.

Regarding the court case Birdlife initiated against the FKNK for their having released ringed birds back into the wild, would you like the trappers that caught the birds in question to attend and give their opinion?

If ever we had a Maltese circus it would go by the name of Birdlife.

Nothing but a bunch of comedians that trap EU funds by feeding nonsense to the gullible Eurocrats. Pretty soon this form of trapping will be banned too.

jmifsud

Nov 12th 2009, 11:50

Finches to breed, need wild habitat, plenty of food (wild seeds) in the area where they make the nest and to be undisturbed neither by trappers nor by bird ringers. Water is also a problem during the nesting season.

Roads and building in the countryside are a deterrent. Nesting pairs in Malta are the exception not the rule. BLM are trying again to play mind games with a less agressive approach, maybe they realised that with their aggressive campaign they did not vindicate their desire.

Ramon Casha

Nov 12th 2009, 10:48

Trapping has NOT stopped. It was merely made illegal. I've seen trappers still at it up to two weeks ago.

Andrew Gatt

Nov 12th 2009, 09:41

@ Joseph Mangion.

The cheek, hypocrisy and insensitivity of your organization is incredible. Your own supporters, appointed by Government to negotiate the best package with the EU, betrayed thousands of trappers and one still boasts about it.

The same trappers you now "blame" for not attending this farce of a seminar! Mhux hekk jew! Go on, have your seminars. Invite speakers from European countries whete these same birds are SHOT. Continue to spread the usual rubbish about breeding, migratory flyways, endangered blah blah.

After all, guess you have to justify the CASH you lot squeezed out of the EU for pointless, banal, inflammatory and STUPID campaigns.

Franklin Azzopardi

Nov 12th 2009, 09:25

Can Mr. Sultana please explain why the white wagtails (zakak) and the starling ( sturnella) don't breed here in Malta. They are residents in large numbers in Malta throughout the winter but as spring starts to approach they simple migrate !!! Can someone explain please !!!!!