BirdLife, CABS to pay for police escort
A BirdLife volunteers' car which was damaged in April.
BirdLife Malta and the German organisation CABS (Committee Against Bird Slaughter) said today that they would be paying the police for extra escort duties during conservation camps due to start tomorrow.
In a joint statement, they said they welcomed the authorities' recent confirmation that police officers on extra duties would be assigned to the conservation camps to ensure the security of the bird watchers, who have faced many attacks in the past.
BirdLife and CABS last July requested police officers on extra duty, against payment by these organisations, after an escalation of violence against bird watchers.
The windscreen of a Raptor Camp car blasted with a shotgun while parked 20 meters from a children's playground, rocks were thrown at volunteers and two BirdLife volunteers were beaten up Dingli, among other incidents.
To date only the two aggressors who assaulted BirdLife volunteers in Dingli have been convicted, thanks to video evidence of the attack gathered and presented by BirdLife Malta.
BirdLife said its office had received many reports of illegal hunting after a storm brought many migratory birds into Malta seeking shelter.
A Common Kestrel from Delimara and a Purple Heron from Gozo - with two pellets embedded internally - were delivered to BirdLife office yesterday. An injured Grey Heron was also passed on to the ALE in Delimara. BirdLife also received a shot Night Heron with three internal pellets from Hal Far today and a shot Little Bittern from Marsa a few days ago.
Since the start of the hunting season BirdLife said it had recorded illegal shooting at protected species including Osprey, Honey-buzzard, Eleonora's Falcon, Hobby, Night Heron, Red Knot, Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull. Illegal sea hunting for protected Oystercatchers and Shelduck using high powered speedboats has also been recorded by BirdLife field teams.
A shot Turtle Dove, which may be legally hunted, was also received yesterday.
68 volunteers from 10 countries are joining the BirdLife and CABS conservation camps until September 26.
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Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 13th 2010, 18:55
Charles Gauci, as the Maltese saying goes: "Qed titfa' l-gebla u tahbi jdejk"!! You did suggest that I act in a deceitful manner and this is documented in your comments below. Actually, I am asking for proof of the inflated situation that BLM try to depict. I have always condemned the few illegalities that truly occur. As for deceit, YOU were the one who suggested that I join the CABS team "perhaps in disguise"! Finally, yes Sir, I await any trespassers, be they from CABS, BLM or any other individuals, and I will use all the legal tools available to make them pay for their illegality!
AAzzopardi
Sep 13th 2010, 16:09
if i was FKNK or any hunter, I would invite CABS personnel to accompany me whenever I go hunting. If hunters don't have anything to hide, why are they opposing CABS to take picuters and/or film. Such opposition might imply that there is something to hide or something illegal is taking place. Only then will the hunters gain credibility that they respect the law. Unfortunately us (non hunters) have our impressions that hunters shoot at protected birds and do vandalism..... proof us that this is not true, only then people will start believing you. If there is nothing to hide, why resort to such threatening means when you say that you will do everything in your power to stop cabs from trespassing your land. You say there's nothing illegal in what you do, we beleive you, but let us see with our (CABS' eyes in this case) eyes please. Unfortunately many of us are ignorant and don't believe what you hunters say.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 13th 2010, 12:13
It appears that most antis cannot stomach it that I am not a hunter yet I defend the hunters' rights. As such, Charles Gauci, I shoot no birds (whether legal or protected)! As for your deceitful suggestion, well Sir such deceitful tactics do not even cross my mind! It can be seen here that they do cross YOUR mind though!!
Charles Gauci
Sep 13th 2010, 15:25
Mrs.SZL sounds very irritated. It was not my intention to irk anybody. However, once despite photographic and video evidence, she continues to ask for proof (of hunting illegalities) I could find nothing better than to suggest that she joins one of the CABS or Birdlife camp sorties to monitor such illegalities. She said she was only interested in monitoring illegalities by CABS (read trespassing). Accordingly I pointed out that if she does join she would, as we say in Maltese: tkun qed toqtol zewg ghasafar b'gebla wahda. She naively or deceitfully interpreted it that I was implying she was a hunter!
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 13th 2010, 10:41
Charles Gauci, I am convinced in my beliefs and I prefer showing who I am without cheating on anyone. Acting "in disguise" is no bread for me. I will leave that for antis' and certain contributors on this blog!
Charles Gauci
Sep 13th 2010, 10:55
It was only a suggestion. On the other hand if you take up my other suggestion, you would be killing two birds with one stone (as the Maltese saying goes)
P.S.: If you do, make sure the birds you kill are not protected :)
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 12th 2010, 13:59
Mark Gauci, your haste to reply did not allow your fingers to work properly on the keyboard!! Well, you are well aware that hunters are out LEGALLY enjoying their pastime! Please try to understand my argument regarding the photo being published. It should not proof difficult for a banker to do so!! Meanwhile, I assure you that I do not form part of an "organisaton" since I am not a hunter!
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 12th 2010, 13:42
Chris Finch, with your line of thought, should The Times, when reporting anything about hunting, use a picture depicting the "recent" ECJ ruling which has shamed BLM & Co?!! How absurd can you get?! Regarding the body-guards, could it be that CABS have realised that they were acting illegally if they proceeded with their plan? Regarding proof, you might be gullible to accept anything that BLM states. Well from past experience, I do NOT believe anything they say! Remember their statements that: Spring hunting is illegal? Malta is on a main migratory route? Millions of birds are shot in Malta? The turtle-dove and quail are threatened species? Only to be exposed of all these lies. Well, if you happen to go to BLM's offices, I suggest you ask them to enlighten you about that illegality from the antis' side which I had mentioned earlier!!
Thanks Mr Johnny Scerri, you have indeed exposed Chris Finch's inconsistency!
Glenn Micallef, I just wish these CABS try to trespass onto my private property!! You will get proof of it for sure!
Charles Gauci, I prefer providing proof of any CABS wrong-doings!
Charles Gauci
Sep 12th 2010, 14:34
If you are out with them (perhaps in disguise?) you can have proof both of their wrong-doing as well as of hunting irregularities.
Mario Tabone
Sep 12th 2010, 07:36
@Marco Meli
As the Maltese saying goes, ''Thallatx il Hass mall Bass ''
Typical of your sort of correspondent to bring up some feeble excuse about some politician or foreign ex pat .
Two wrongs don't make a right and while I don't condone any person abusing building regulations this has nothing to do with the original topic.
Please stop making excuses and dragging foreigners into your comments. It just heralds ignorance .
When you mention some villa being built on Qabrus habitat you have me at a slight disadvantage as I don't really know the area you mention but I get the feeling its quite close to where another villa sprung up in the middle of the countryside at Mtahleb some years ago, where a certain ex prime minister used to live. I wonder if thats the one you mean ?
Remember my friend, the rules of the game is never to throw stones at glasshouses!
Last but not least, well done once again to Birdlife and CABS .
marco meli
Sep 12th 2010, 12:19
draging foreigners???? so are cabs maltese ??? no ahh! sabih inhallat l hass mal b**** . bir rata li miexi l svilup laqqas jibqaw jigu l cabs ax l aqqas ha jkun baqa ambjent. blokka konkos fil mediterran ha nigu!
Antoine Grima
Sep 11th 2010, 22:09
I should hope so
Chris Galea
Sep 11th 2010, 21:54
since when shellducks migrate in summer ????????????
I hope they leave the penguins in peace !!!!!
Steve Zammit
Sep 13th 2010, 12:46
Yes I also have seen migrating flying Ostriches in V formation and I have seen 1 flock 0f 20 penguins resting on the Sliema front:))))) :)
Apart from the joke, If you don't know Mr.Galea I may inform you that breeding populations of Shelduck in Sicily have increased therefore the chance for some birds to fly over from here is larger at this current time of year. Yes of coarse, the best time to see Shelducks is mainly in October untill December as I assume you may know but nonetheless in recent years a few individuals are being recorded at this time.
Shelducks are illegally targeted by poachers from the coast and from speedboats. Why are you surprised that they were mentioned in the above if they are appearing at this time of the year???
I personally have seen 4 last week....(2,2) flying near the coast....
r sammut
Sep 11th 2010, 21:34
I am just wondering, have any of you guys (antis) ever been to perhaps Greece, Southern Italy, not mentioning Turkey? All part of the EU! People visiting such places and other can confirm that shooting is taking place all year round. We never seem to hear it mentioned here! Yet the few yes few in comparison, Malta irregularities (still condemnable though) are blow out of all proportions.
The problem with Malta is it being so tiny; makes it that much easier to be bullied by foreigners!
M Ellul
Sep 11th 2010, 20:34
Thanks Cabs and Birdlife. You are doing a great and risky job for the protection of God's creation and for the Maltese who love life and want to enjoy His greatness alive and not dead. I was enjoying these lovely birds who had probably just took off from near Ghar Hasan, when all of a sudden I and some other Maltese who had stopped with the car to see them fly magestically over the sea, were broken hearted to see them go down one by one. Just the sound of the gun shooting was tearing me apart. How can these people call it a sport !!! There must be something missing somewhere. Its outrageous that Cabs have to pay for protecting themselves from haters of life.
C Borg
Sep 12th 2010, 05:27
Mr Ellul,
If you really know what happened in the past, FKNK wanted to pay the police to escort each group in the country side. This was not long time ago but it was last year and this year.
Come on...... You know what these people are: just see the link here under...
http://www.ilbraccoitaliano.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28093
These people like these things, but than they like to do these type of holy things in their cheap holidays.
Kif jghid il-Malti " Jaraw it-tibna li ghandna ahna u t-travu li ghandom huma ma jarawhx"
U " Min mhux hati jwaddab l-ewwel gebla"
Halluna u morru lura min fej gejtu .....
M Ellul
Sep 12th 2010, 21:30
Sorry C. Borg but have absolutately not understood your reply and what you meant. Secondly its a Miss and not Mr.
And I repeat, thanks CABS and Birdlife. I don't think anyone would enjoy a holiday spending days amongst killers and going back to your property and see it destroyed or getting yelled at and guns pointed at you just because you enjoy studying and watching birds ALIVE.
Edward Camilleri
Sep 11th 2010, 19:10
Attacks on Birdlife & CABS or anyone else for that matter enjoying the countryside are disgusting and goes to show that not just illegal hunting is rampant, but also violence by those that hold a gun!
No one is above the law and everyone has a right to enjoy the countryside without being showered by pellets. The authorities should step up enforcement, and catch the perpetrators.
c.cefai
Sep 11th 2010, 17:47
Why all this hatred for BirdLife; they are doing their utmost to prevent illegal hunting since
there are hunters who are breaking the law. Keep it up BirdLife!!
J. Borg
Sep 11th 2010, 17:16
Ah....so dear Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Commissioner John Rizzo have finally noticed that they have some "extra" police they can afford to assign in our countryside!
So why has ALE been left so understaffed all these years?
And so because CABS & BL are thanklessly doing what the police should have been doing for ages - they also are obliged to pay the police for it!?
Dr. Mifsud Bonnici and Mr. Rizzo - do Malta a favour and resign with immediate effect!
C. Abela
Sep 11th 2010, 16:51
I have no connection with BLM but as someone who resents illegal shooting on protected birds, I applaud these organised camps. What are they interfering in other than helping fill in the huge gap in anti-poaching law enforcement? What I dont understand is why so many who loudly scream they are hunters not poachers protest against these efforts. What have you to lose, if you are hunting legally than why would this be of concern? On the other hand, it is those you allegedly condemn and distance yourself from who should oppose such camps. Which side are you on?
In what way are these foreigners interfering?
j.schembri
Sep 11th 2010, 16:49
@T.Camilleri, these foreigners are protecting the Eurpean fauna which people with the same mentality of yours are killing during the migration season. The pity is that they have to pay for their protection. Veru pajjiz tal-mickey mouse. Well done CABS and Birdlife and thank you for protection our european heritage.
m.zammit
Sep 11th 2010, 16:45
How funny it is that to be protected from certain aggresive hunters bird gaurds have to pay for their security. Unbelievable. The government should have given this service free of charge to these people both local and foriegners who are giving a sterling service to the country and Europe by protecting bird species during their migration. The Commissioner responsible from the envirnment should be informed about this.
Andrew Gatt
Sep 11th 2010, 16:36
Nicely timed to make the Sunday papers. What a coincidence. The umpteenth coincidence.
The hunting season starts and the slick media-birdlife campaign starts. Pick on the few illegilities and blow them up out of all proportion to percentage, size, numbers and reality. Suck up to foreign extremists whose home countries put tiny Malta to shame in the atrocities committed and the methods used. Make everything seem a million times worse than it really is.
So predictable.
Charles Gauci
Sep 11th 2010, 21:23
That's right Mr. Gatt. So predictable - the annual massacre by the local hunting fraternity. If you really want to help your cause, it is about time you and your ilk start to report the ongoing irregularities to the police as well as to your association, rather than trying to ridicule BirdLife and CABS. Unfortunately (for the hunters of course) the vast majority of non-hunters have eyes and ears and do not need BirdLife or CABS to tell them what is going on. Your hostility towards these NGOs goes on to expose the amount of illegal hunting going on.
Paul Abela
Sep 11th 2010, 16:22
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin, why do you have to query things which are obvious...aren't you convinced it is a hidden agenda? Ha! Ha! ...by now we are used to BLM and CABS' tactics. To-day it is the car with a smashed windscreen....while they are digging in their archives for the picture of a wounded night heron to show the readers of the various media tomorrow!...and the story will go on till the end of November.I myself uesd to give some weight to what BLM and the CABS say...but not any more...I simply ignore such inane news items....News items? Only fools have time to waste reading them.
Mario Tabone
Sep 11th 2010, 16:14
@ T Camilleri
Such ignorance is beyond all realms of belief !!!
These so called interfering foreigners as you call them are having to pay money which could be used elsewhere to safeguard what little wildlife we have left on these islands.
You call it protection money. If it protects wildlife from being blasted out of the sky illegally by our law breaking so called hunters/poachers then it is money well spent.
Once again we are seeing the blatant disregard to the rules of the law by the hunting fraternity or at the least some of them.
I have said this before and am happy to repeat it. The hunting fraternity have brought all this widespread media attention onto themselves by their continuous illegal actions against protected species and wildlife.
All one needs to do is visit the North west regions of these islands around Mtahleb, Dingli and the surrounding areas and see/hear for themselves the hunters abusing the hours and rules that the open season dictates.
Bird calling machines are being used between the hours of midnight and six in the morning and they are certainly not calling doves !!!
marco meli
Sep 11th 2010, 20:44
"little wildlife we have left on these islands"
where were you mr tabone when some politician decided to built his villa and pool in our "qabru's" habitat endagering the specieces? And what about these foreiners who come to buy farmhouses encouraging developers to develop more land? did you say you want wildlife?
Johnny Xerri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:55
@ Mario Tabone,
Right now at this date and day, at Saghtrija Zebbug Gozo, 70 apartements are being built on a ridge that has been excavated so that underground garages are constructed. Apart from the 13 tumoli of land that will be converted from semi garegue and farmland, into an orange orchard.
This land was host to breeding wild rabbits and the local national bird the blue rock trush, warbles and collar doves. Yet the habitat was disrupted. And did BLM bat an eyelid?
This nesting site was there for ages, even though hunters were present...but with these modern new age protectionists removing the hunters and caming close to nature will these species remain there?
Mark Gauci
Sep 11th 2010, 16:04
Dear Zarb Z Darmanin, whatever happened to the self regulating teams to patrol the countryside as 'employed' by the FKNK.....are they all out busy hunting i guess ?....and dont ask for proof....the Times has just posted a photo of an incident last April (proof of violence against bird watchers) and you complain. I wonder what your comments would have been if photo exhibits of injured birds would have been shown.....can only dread to imagine ! Would be wonderful if you direct your notable effort to curbing illegal hunting within your organisation rather then waste it on trying to pass the hunting fraternity as angels !!
Anthony Formosa
Sep 11th 2010, 15:54
Since the start of the hunting season BirdLife said it had recorded illegal shooting at protected species including Osprey, Honey-buzzard, Eleonora's Falcon, Hobby, Night Heron, Red Knot, Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull. Illegal sea hunting for protected Oystercatchers and Shelduck using high powered speedboats has also been recorded by BirdLife field teams.
Excellent work, so let's see how many of these recorders will lead to the arrest of the poachers, it is not enough for birdlife and CABS to report to the Times, or else I call these allegations BLM & CABS Fantasies.
Charles Gauci
Sep 11th 2010, 21:11
Dear Mr. Formosa rest assured that in all cases the police were informed. How many hunters are apprehended and taken to court depends on the police and not on BirdLife. Perhaps now you and your fellow self-labelled law-abiding hunters (but doing your best to protect tha actions of poachers through your comments) can understand why it is absolutely necessary to have CABS and Birdlife recording on film the illegalities taking place daily by hunters.
marco meli
Sep 11th 2010, 15:47
"birds delivered to birdlife office yesterday" Did birdlife's office change to a vet's office now???? Yet may I reming birdlife malta that it's illegal to keep protected birds!!!! By the way, only 4 birds where mentioned, maybe birdlife malta have started being a bit soft and forgot hundreds or touhsands and millions in her vocabulary?
Charles Gauci
Sep 11th 2010, 21:02
Dear Marco, May I remind you that it is illegal to shoot protected birds. The birds mentioned by BirdLife are far less than the proverbial tip of the iceberg! Don't know if you browsed FKNK's forum today. An idiot was bragging of having shot two Bee-eaters (protected birds) and trying to shoot two Marsh Harriers (protected birds of prey). This contribution has now been removed. During this week hunters (sorry poachers - are there any hunters in Malta anyway?) have been seen shooting at Oystercatchers, various gull species, Shelducks, various tern species (all protected bird species) along the east coast. Yesterday two poachers were shooting within the 500m protected zone next to the Ghadira Nature Reserve. Yes, in all cases the ALE were informed.
Johnny Xerri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:47
@ Charles Gauci,
It would be very interesting if the poacher who claimed to have shot the beeaters and trying to shot the marsh harriers was traced through his ISP.
He must either be very niave, stupid and ignorant criminal....or else someone who wanted to taint hunters.
Charles Gauci
Sep 12th 2010, 11:30
It was on the FKNK's forum. If anyone should know who posted that comment it would be them.
Johnny Xerri
Sep 12th 2010, 16:37
@ Charles Grech,
Please note that although I have no connection with FKNK other than being a simple member(I pay my membership otherwise the police will not issue a licence), I will refuse that FKNK is dragged into this.
Anybody can sign up as a member in the forum...it is not sealed. I have posted comments on BLM's website, and although they never contained anything obscene they were never published. Yet everything is published real time on FKNK forum, and anybody can become a member of the forum.
So the ISP has to detect through (police order) who this individual was and then the police can confirm if he is a poacher or else and anti.
r sammut
Sep 12th 2010, 18:45
@Charles Gauci
Although I am keen to the FKNK forum, I missed that particular post mentioned by you Mr Gauci, as it was already removed! As noted by Johnny Xerri anyone, yourself included, can register as member and can start posting in real time!
Is it coincidence, or is that you are hawk eyed on the same forum, or perhaps… as to your timing?
Charles Gauci
Sep 13th 2010, 11:01
@r. sammut
As a matter of fact I never log on to the FKNK forum. A friend of mine forwards me the links whenever he finds anything interesting.
T Camilleri
Sep 11th 2010, 15:32
The authorities should kick these interfering foreigners out of Malta and not accept protection money for that is what it all amounts to.
Jason Borg
Sep 11th 2010, 18:18
This is Malta not North Korea, comrade Camilleri.
JOe VELLa
Sep 11th 2010, 18:43
T Camilleri
What seem to be your problem? According to the picture posted those who did the shooting are still at large! Do you really believe these are interfering foreigners paying protection money? What else can they do? I have been abroad and birds from geese, to sparrows fly free for all to enjoy. Is this what you want in Malta, building and cranes, everything else that happen by mistake to fly over we shoot it to stuff it! Boy what a long way we still have to go!
A Fabri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:10
Mela hekk naghmlu halli int u shabek tkunu tistghu tisparaw fuq kull ma jtir minghajr ebda kontroll u interferenza ta' xejn...... tixtiequ man !!
Johnny Xerri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:44
@ Joe Vella, since you stated "have been abroad and birds from geese, to sparrows fly free for all to enjoy." can you please also state in which countries you where?
I have hunted in the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia.....and I can assure you geese are shot in large numbers in these countries.
Moreover can you please state a country in which hunting is not allowed.
Thanks
Joe Farrugia
Sep 11th 2010, 21:45
Malta mhix saloon tal-cowboys, Sur Camilleri.
Bla dubju min ghandu l-faham miblul, idejquh il-CABS u Birdlife!
Mark Camilleri
Sep 11th 2010, 15:19
Bird Life is doing what the police should supposedly be doing: supervising hunters and checking for illegalities. Instead Bird Life will be paying the police to protect them from violent thugs! How pathetic and irresponsible! We have a Minister of the Interior and a Police Commissioner who don't know what priorities and responsibilities mean but still demand praise for the outstanding work they claim they to do. Do us a favor and resign, you are not worth the job let alone any praise.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 11th 2010, 15:18
Why has The Times deemed it fit to show us a picture from April? What is its hidden agenda?
I wonder why BLM and CABS have refused FKNK's offer to pay for Police Protection, yet decided to pay for this extra Police duty themselves?! Secondly, what has happened to the Security Guards which CABS had decided to engage?!
BLM claims that: "its office had received many reports of illegal hunting", protected species "were delivered to BirdLife office yesterday", "it (BLM) had recorded illegal shooting at protected species". PROOF PLEASE! As the Maltese saying goes "Min ghandu halqu jghid li jrid"!!! BLM, you might convince the gullible few, however sensible readers would need PROOF!!!
Chris Finch
Sep 11th 2010, 16:50
The image is of a recent violent incident against the springwatch camp and is therefore relevant to the story.
If Birdlife accepted the FKNK offer, what a field day the hunters would have with that. You weren't satisfied with them recruiting private security personnel and now you wonder where they have gone. Can you be consistent please Sylvana. Oh wait, I forgot, you never have been in the past so why would you be now.
You want proof? GO to the Birdlife offices and see the Common Kestrel, the Purple Heron, the little bittern or the night heron or to the ALE and see the grey heron. Would that be the proof you are looking for? It seems that only you are gullible enough to be taken in by the hunters when they say there are little or no illegalities.
Wake up Sylvana. Stop defending the indefensible.
Glenn Micallef
Sep 11th 2010, 17:12
Sylvana, the April photo shows the violence birdwatchers experience every hunting season. It also explains why they will have security officers this autumn. I wonder why such individuals (hunters) resort to violence, if there is no illegal hunting other there. Why, my I ask, are they intimidating the birdwatchers if they have nothing to hide? The proof of illegal hunting is in the birds taken to BLM office yesterday: they had lead pellet wounds and since they were still alive, they never came out of the famous freezer. Kindly note that these are the ones that managed to get away!
As regards trepassing, PROOF PLEASE. Is there any birdwatcher who was convicted of trepassing? If I am not mistaken, last April, you defending individuals that reacted violently to trepassing.As you might know, the law had a different verdict.........
Johnny Xerri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:35
Chris Finch, may I remind you who is consistent and credible, you stated that Lanzarote was hunting free. When I found proof and posted the linkin my comment you sad that you had assumed wrongly, then a few sentences later you stated that you were wrongly informed. Wen I asked you which version was correct, the one that you assumed or the one that you were wrongly informed, or that you intentionally issued a false statement you failed to reply.
That is why we take your comments, BLM press releases with a pinch of salt (or maybe with some more thana pinch)
Johnny Xerri
Sep 11th 2010, 21:40
@ Glenn Micallef,
Although I will never tolerate 1 single protected species being killed, BLM and the antis have nothing much to cry foul over. 5 birds shot illegally in 11 days by 17000 hunters. Thats hardly rampant.
1 bird is too much, but trying to excuse a ban over 5/17000/11 x 100 = 0.002674% crime rate commited by hunters is rather overshooting the limits of decency
Charles Gauci
Sep 11th 2010, 21:40
Do you want proof Mrs. Sylvana Zarb Darmanin. Simple - join either a CABS or a BirdLife team one of these days. I'm sure you will get more proof than you want.
Glenn Micallef
Sep 12th 2010, 14:00
Johnny Xerri, if 5 birds have been taken to the BLM offices it does not mean that only 5 birds were shot. These were those recovered by the public. The majority of the shot birds (that were hit) would have died. From the survivors, those recovered by other hunters (who are out in full force during the open season) will never be taken to BLM, as these use them to proof illegal hunting. So, you see, if 5 were recovered by BLM, many more would have met the same fate. Everybody knows that illegal hunting occurs. The public will beleive FKNK when they start reporting illegalities themselves. For example, will FKNK forward details of the poacher who was boasting on their website (forum) that he shot 2 bee eaters and that he missed 2 Marsh Harriers?
Johnny Xerri
Sep 12th 2010, 16:31
@ Glenn Micallef,
I never ever said that poaching is non existing. What I said is that it is not as rampant as BLM & co would like us to believe. I mean, they boast of having night vision cameras, spotting scopes, day cameras (both stills and video) and yet every season they hardly manage to film more than 3 or 4 incidents of poaching. Even 1 poaching incident is too much, but if that is rampant, then sugar is salty!!!
As to whether "will FKNK forward details of the poacher who was boasting on their website (forum) that he shot 2 bee eaters and that he missed 2 Marsh Harriers?" I for one wish that this criminal is caught for he is either a sensless criminal paocher or a naive criminal mud slinger
Manwel Grech
Sep 11th 2010, 15:11
Jiena nsaqsi jekk il-pulizija mhux ser tarresta nies li jinqabdu fi propjeta mhux taghhom, ghax tkun propjeta privata. Dawn l'hekk imsejjha birdwatchers qed jinstigaw ghal vjolenza (il-vjolenza dejjem hija kkundanabli) billi jidhlu fi propjeta li tkun privata u jippretendu li jilqghuhom bil-fjuri.
Mur pajjizhom, il-Germanja u idhol fil-propjeta taghhom ha tara jekk tigiex arrestat!!! imma jahsbu li Malta jistghu jaghmlu li jridu. Jekk il-ligi hija indaqs ghal kulhadd nittama li l-awtoritajiet jiehdu nota u jintervjenu meta jigi rrapurtat li xi hadd dahal bla permess go art privata. U mhux jigu jaqghu u jqumu, ghax il-bicca tispicca li s-sidien jiehdu l-ligi b'idejhom.
Instemghu kazi ta nies li lghabuha tal-pulizija - nispera li dawn jigu wkoll investigati
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 11th 2010, 16:14
Sejjer nikumenta bl ingliz biex jifhem kullhad.
Then again, we read here of people using descrpitive words such as "killing fields, masacre, barbarians, neanderthals, callous macho men" and guess what, some everso glorious great industrial nations have nukes, environmentally freindly military submarines, or indeed the On Her Majesty Servce Agent 007 "Walter" revolver !!
Hunters and Trappers in Malta should remain calm and respect the law at all times. I am against the slaughter of birds but somehow, I am biased towards my own aninal spieces, called Homo Sapiens !!
What a colossally hypocritical century the 21 st. has become !!
Joseph M. Scicluna
Sep 11th 2010, 14:02
May the Police escorts be more effective than they are on our roads.
Reading about all the shot birds which are protected by law, the only definition of this is Barbarism at its best!