Rare bird shot

To all concerned.

Comments have been made that IF the culprit is apprehended, then his hunting licence should be revoked.

GREAT considering ILLEGAL hunters/poachers do not normally have a licence in the first place otherwise they would know what to expect if they are caught.

If any person that has a hunting licence is the perpetrator of this atrocity, and is caught in the act (or similar) then I totally agree that his licence be revoked AND a suitable and sensible punishment be issued by the courts (obviously if found guilty).

Mr Franco Farrugia, hatred towards others is exposed through one's comments! A look at online comments will therefore expose where true hatred is. Sir, far from harbouring hatred as you stated, I harbour love, respect and tolerance towards others.

G Debono, "the majority of Malta is against" poaching! Reasonable Maltese citizens I meet and discuss with are not bothered with legal hunting at all! Furthermore, the hunters I know are law-abiding individuals and you have absolutely no right to tarnish their reputation. G Debono you enjoy splashing out statements without knowing the facts. Actually, I spend a lot of time in the countryside. The picture you try to portray is by far different from the actual scenario. I will definitely not ask for a hunting ban!

Finally, G Debono, please, please do not try to play the fool. You are a regular contributor online and therefore you must have read past comments of mine wherein I have stated that in my family I have both hunters and BirdLife members. My common sense makes me decide to side with hunters!! Sour pill for the anti's, eh?!

I think this hunter is of extremely low education. He is unable to see the beauty in nature and his only enjoyment is to destroy birds of such magnificence. I hope he gets a hefty punishment for this!

My full sympathy goes towards Mr Mallia who is a very dedicated person. Being an avid bird breeder myself I can only come close to understanding what it feels like to losing such a beautiful bird. Unfortunately, whilst I do hope that its cost is refunded by the perpetrator, I know that it won’t bring back this bird and to the keeper it is that particular bird that matters!

Then again, I am also a hunter and simply can’t grasp the venom some individuals can foment against fellow human beings. I and the remaining thousands of hunters did not kill this bird. It was ONE idiot. Why should all be condemned?

It is also highly evident from a number of comments below that the term “hunting” is a widely misunderstood and licentiously used term. Furthermore, a number of contributors seem to have lost all sense of perspective and have too radical views to be taken seriously. There also seems to be a purposeful sensationalism entailed with each and every incident being blown out of proportion.

@ Franco Farrugia, let’s leaving the sniffing part to the pointing dogs shall we? LOL

what a barbaric act BAN HUNTING as some of the hunters will shoot at anything that moves these guys needs to be disciplined and if needed fined and jailed

Ms. Zarb Darmanin should understand that the majority of Malta is against hunting, because it is patently obvious that illegal shooting is rampant. That is why other things are banned, because control is impossible.

Sure go on, call for the culprits to be caught - why don't you name them yourself, Ms.? Don't know who they are? It is a bit strange when the majority of hunters would tell you that one day or anoyther have broken the law and shot at protected species. Some continue to do so irrespective while others look over their shoulder and are more cautious before doing so.

You surely do not expect to be in any sort of control miles into the wilderness, do you? Where "trophies" are a shot away and barely anyone to see you? Maybe you need to have some country walks during hunting season and you yourself will call for a hunting ban.

If collecting stamps was bad for the enivronment and there was no control and difficult to apprehand culprits, I would call for a ban on that. So please Ms. Don't take this too personal, after all you're no hunter, or related to any of them, right?

shame! not just because it is a rare bird, but because a bird was killed! shame!!

@ dunstan vella & mario salnitro... so since people die, we should kill everything else on this world. and it is people like you who give hunters a bad name. not just the killing and torturing of animals for fun or as a sport, which is what hunting is all about, but the nonchalant and irresponsible attitudes you emit! i pity you, because it seems that in your life, the only excitement you get is from shooting and seeing defenseless animals fall from above!

shame!

@ Mrs S Z D: Do not put unto others what you yourself feel for them! I harbour no 'hatred' for hunters. Merely 'hatred' for hunting itself.

@Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Why Ms SZD...is this the FIRST illegailty that we have witnessed????????????? No it's not....so ILLEGALITIES is correct. Thank you.

This is the time to reflect before everyone fires solutions to the problem of illegal hunting. It is very easy to say stop hunting, abolish hunting, take all guns etc etc. What would one achieve as a result. You would have stopped hunting but never illegal hunting. Illegal hunting is a criminal act like any other contravention, such as drugs. It will only give more power to these individuals to roam the country side and persist in their irregularities. The presence of the hunters together with the wardens are a must, because while the rest of Malta are sound asleep the law abiding hunters are in the country. We have to build on a sound platform by using this case as a warning to all, that we hunters are fed up of being blamed of crimes that we do not approve on the contrary we condemn. Once more I call on all possible organisations including Birdlife to act in a joint effort with FKNK. I repeat there is nothing negative in launching the scheme. There is no harm done so why waste time that some other incident is reported. Lets us give the message that we are trailing these culprits.

I cannot understand what this fuss about hunting is all about.....one cannot even consider it an act of poaching,what happenened is an idiot with a gun shoots an escaped bred bird !! !!! apart from his licence banned for good he should get a good slap in his face !!

Serves you right if hunting is abolished once and for all.

Quoting Mr RCZ: "such illegalitIES"! Who, may I ask is exaggerating here?!

I strongly feel that Mr Kevin Mallia should enlighten us all about what actually happened. Such reporting is not being fair on the many law-abiding hunters, while the anti's are having a field-day in exposing their hatred towards hunters. Please, Sir, can you elaborate further!

I thought of waiting for the remarks to come through before I place my comments. Some remarks are geniune others are sensational, however, the end result is a protected bird presumably shot dead by someone with a shot gun in hand. At this stage I have to stick to the facts as published in the news. I start by condemning the act by whoever it was, then I expect that who is responsible will be charged on a minimum of two counts. 1. killing a protected bird, 2. damaging the reputation of the law abiding hunters. 3. using thick lead which is prohibited by law. If found guilty the individual should be banned from being able to carry a shotgun whatever the circumstances, obviously apart from the normal penalties within the paramerters of the law.
This case further proofs my point that had their been an appointed warden in the vicinity the police would have had a reference to refer to as a witness. I take this opportunity to urge all hunters to join in the wardens scheme to curb on such incidents which do not do any good to us and Malta with such photograpy splashed in the media.

@ Dunstan Vella: Lili tista' tigi xxommli fejn trid u meta trid u xhin trid, ghax jien, m'ghandix x'nahbi!

disgusting,sad,unacceptable..there is no differance in malta between hunting and poaching and both lead to a needless loss of life..prison sentance automatically for this crime..there is a reason why police and psychiatrists are concerned when they learn of anyone that can abuse or kill animals..its a sign of a person with a deep problem.serial killers all started by killing and torturing animals..fact-we do not own this planet,we share it..have some respect and understanding for all life..

Dunstan Vella - And you think that by poaching/hunting these would get richer (aka not poor)?
I think if they avoided shooting, in the first place, they wouldn't be *that* poor, since ammunition costs *a lot*.

Petty hypocritic and metaphoric comments, I don't think anyone is wise enough to judge anyone else, especially someone who considers killing birds a "delizju".

As to how it came here, I don't think that justifies it being killed, does it?

By the way, I don't know how you can incriminate everyone, since only few Maltese are hunters. I don't think the rest are automatically poachers (and if they're not, then why would they not be innocent)?

All this fuss cause a bred bird was shot !!! seems like people only break laws in Malta !! What is wrong is wrong but we didn't put the species of the african spoonbill of the verge of extinsion !! I hope the owner would be refunded !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe Camilleri
If the man arrested is a member of a HUNTING club then he IS a hunter if not then he is a poacher, as you claim a large number of your fellow country men are hunters I expect the newspaper just assumed it. but we can wait till it is confirmed or denied.

Hey you guys this was the act of a single person, and it seems he had been apprehended! So why blame it on all and sundry? Blinkers or what...?

I think there are still a few Barbarians roaming about loose on the islands. Nick'em!

Nofskom qas tafu xinu jigri u kwart iehor qabda iparlaw fil vojt.. Vera tajra protetta ima aw tant nies Malta stess foqra u m'ghandomx x'jieklu.. fuq bicca ghasfur tghamlu panik?!?! Kieku sar delitt fuq bniedem zgur li ma jkunx aw min jikkummenta daqsekk.. u Min adda xi proposta li ghandom jinqataw dawn id-delizzji tal-Kacca u Nsib ma jifimx ax imbilli jizbalji 1 m'ghandux jehel kulhadd.. Ahjar jaraw dawn in-nies ?KIF WASLET? Malta l-ewwel dik it-tajr.. Dik mhux tajra li tpassi minn fuq Malta.. hija tajra maqbuda barra u imrobbija hawn Malta. Intkom kolla qaddisin nahseb uwx dawk li ghedtu " What a sad sight" Kull min jerfa idu ghandu xi jxomm..

What if Malta was a “Planet of the Apes”?
Maltese hunters would certainly be hypocrites if they complained about the way apes treated them!!! Who is the ape here? Certainly not the African Spoon Bill.

While every act of illegality should be condemned, from the comments below, I can see that anti-hunters cannot grasp the simple difference between POACHING and HUNTING.

@ L Debono: No, I disagree with you. The act is shameful not because it is a rare bird or because it is a beautiful one but BECAUSE IT IS A BIRD!

THE CULPRIT SHOULD BE PUNISHED OK WE ALL AGREE.
BUT WHY ALL THIS FUSS !!!
SO MANY PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY ALL OVER THE WORLD !!!

WOW SUCH A BIG DEAL ALL YOU GUYS WHO ARE MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLE HILL, YOU ARE ALL HIPOCRITES.
BAN HUNTING BAN SHOOTING BAN MY FOOT.

WHO ARE YOU TO SAY BAN THIS BAN THAT.!!!!

When are we going to update our laws? We really need a change in this country.

I would recommend a jail sentence for such a beast to kill such a beautiful bird. Just imagine what reputation our country is having. The country of nature murderers!

What a sad sight!

Well yes it is a shame that a beautiful bird like that was shot illegally. Would it still be shameful if they were not protected? The shame isn't that it is beautiful the shame is that it is rare to Malta. Come on people - have your facts straight -this is not an atrocity and it is not a murder, like some of you were describing this. It is POACHING and it is illegal. Please stick to the truth. Another correction to ALL this wasn't the act of a hunter, this was the act of a poacher. Look them up for the right meaning!

My wishes are that 1 - he would be adequately sentenced by the courts for poaching, pays a hefty fine and hopefully all his assets that are related to this crime will be confiscated and put on auction. I hope that the sentence will put him on his knees for a very long time.
2 -The FNKK and other hunting organizations in Malta should take legal action against this individual for the bad name he's bringing to the sport. It will also be a good step for hunting groups and individuals to distance themselves from such"people".

And yet hunters and pro hunters claim that Birdlife Malta exaggerates. It is about time that FKNK admits once and for all that the problem of illegal hunting is much worse than they want us to believe. Saying otherwise, whilst we continue to witness such illegalities, diminishes drastically their credibility.

I hope that who killed this beautiful spoonbill will get a very long jail sentence
And his gun is withdrawn permanently throughout his life.

Nixtieq nkun naf xinhu il-gost li toqtol annimal ghal buzz - MISKHOM TISTHU ! HU XINHU L-ANNIMAL ! Ban Hunting !

Ahseb u ara x'jaghmlu lil dawk tal-passa!!!!

ISTHU JEKK TAFU KIF..... LE HAWN MALTA MA SSIRX KACCA ILLEGALI!!!!!!!
ALLAHARES MA JKUNX HEMM IL PULIZIJA U DAWN IL BARRANIN (ghalkemm jien ma naqbilx maghhom) LI JIGU FI ZMIEN OPPORTUN GHAX KIEKU MASSAKRU KULL PASSA JKOLLNA.
ISSA JKUN HAWN XI HADD U JGHID LI MHUX VERA... JEW DAK L-GHASFUR ILU MEJJET ZMIEN TWIL BIEX ISSIR PORPOGANDA. TAL MISTHIJA.......

Dear Anti's, barons and baronesses, I urge you to improve your vocubalary beyond ban and abolish! Please try writing some sense! According to your yardstick, shall we also ban and abolish the Judiciary, the Church, Politicians, drivers, etc., etc. Wrongdoings abound in all sectors of society!

Common sense dictates to apprehend and punish the culprits. Blanket punishment abounds only in the minds of pitiful individuals!!

no other word. Morons!

What a shame such a rare and beautiful bird, which was breed in Malta, only to be shot by an ignorant barbarian who believes that anything that flies belongs to him.
There is only 1 solution to this rampant poaching by a section of the population who believe that they are above the law, TOTAL BAN on hunting and destruction of their weapons.

Ban hunting and make firearm ownership illegal. Hunters obviously can't be trusted, so it's the only way.

And for those hunters who complain because they don't break the current laws, well, they'll know who to blame, won't they?

This shows how much illegal hunting is common around the islands. The bird was probably shot immediatley as it ventured out from its sanctuary. I hope now that the courts will fine this poacher the maximum fine.

I expect the usual suspects to come out with one of the following:
a) the shooter was not one of our members
b) the bird came out of a freezer
c) the bird committed suicide or ran into a wire or soemthing
d) it was only one bird
e) foreigners have made this one up
..come on how many excuses, how many atrocities must take place before the hunters and tehir apologists will have to deal with the killers in their midst ? If you stick together as a grtoup then be condemned as a group

Being a hunter myself....... Just make him pay at least twice as much as the cost of the bird and revoke his hunting licence. I believe that's the only way forward to learn what's the difference between game and non-game hunting!

Mr Franco Farrugia, I assure you that hunters and trappers will not be happy when seeing this photo. I consider your addressing them as being quite presumptuous! This is surely not the act of a law-abiding hunter but that of a poacher. Hunters and trappers have consistently condemned such illegal acts.

I urge the authorities to take all the necessary action against such poachers.

I have a lake on my property and spoonbills come to visit quite often and I have got close enough many times to hear the splashing between the spoons as they slap the water to reach worms and fresh water shrimps with which the lake abounds.

They are so beautiful and great to watch. I have taken many photographs.

They are not fast flyers so to shoot one presents no great skill or sport.

I hope that seeing this magnificent and harmless creature killed in this despicable manner might make one or two hunters think again about hanging their shotgun for good and following birds with a camera instead. It is so much more satisfying.

@ Steve Busuttil & Franco Farrugia
It is obvious from some hunters' actions that when they see a thing of beauty like this graceful Spoonbill they wat to destroy it so it can't be enjoyed by the Maltese public (including children!) at large.

If that isn't STUPID I don't know what is.

Anyone knows what the maximum penalty is for this atrocity ?

Another feather in the hunting fraternity's cap (sic!) Will someone now come up with accusations of fear-mongering and nefarious anti-hunting propaganda?!!

In Malta we have 'target shooters' rather than 'hunters'. As such, these people should be made to shoot to their hearts delight in the confines of clay pigeon clubs.

So far for all the good intentions and portraits of non existing illegal hunting....

They simply cannot be trusted....

@ Hunters and Trappers: Look at that photo and be happy! It's only a bird! Shame on whoever did it! To me, it's nothing short of murder!
Ohhhhh, sorry! It could have been Birdlife, after all! How silly of me!
Shameful!

There is only one way to describe this act and this individual! STUPID!

STUPID actions like this damage the whole hunting community and should be dealt with by the Law harshly.