Protected birds shot - BirdLife
BirdLife Malta said today that in the past 48 hours it recovered five shot protected birds, bringing the total number of protected birds recovered since the start of this year’s spring hunting season on April 13 to 12.
This, it said, was almost equal to the total number of shot protected birds received during the same time periods in 2008, 2009 and 2010 when 13 shot protected birds were recovered.
One of the birds was a Purple Heron recovered by a member of the public who was asked to give the bird to individuals to be stuffed and mounted. This person refused and instead handed the bird over to BirdLife Malta.
The bird received veterinary care and one of its legs, which was broken beyond recovery by gunshot, was amputated. The bird was released this afternoon at the Simar Nature Reserve (see video).
The other birds recovered were a Black Kite, a Common Kestrel, a Cuckoo and a Racing Pigeon.
BirdLife said Black Kites and Purple Herons are both species of conservation concern in Europe and therefore offered the highest level of protection, being listed under Annex 1 of the Birds Directive.
These birds are also highly prized by illegal hunters for inclusion in collections of stuffed protected birds.
Apart from rare species which are highly prized by illegal hunters, BirdLife Malta said it had also received shot protected birds of commoner species, such as Common Kestrel and Marsh Harrier.
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Mr john vella
Apr 27th 2011, 08:10
This is not HUNTING. In a civilized society, the exclusive purpose to hunt a living being endowed with life is to eat or make use of, when it is a must. This is not hunting this is slaughter, to slay and leave the slaughtered bird to die and forgotten is barbaric. This is the year 2011! If this authority has some fiber it should BAN HUNTING.
Mr joseph lia
Apr 26th 2011, 12:37
These deplorable acts are most probably carried out by the same person/people, according to BLM this year is similar to previous years in the number of poachings. Increased police presence, marshalls, ALE personnel, BLM activists, legal hunters with visible armbands and now the CABS as well but still this/these notorious poachers are not apprehended. Although I retierate that these acts are deplorable and even just one illegal act must be punished, less than 15 illegally shot birds is commandable to all concerned.
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 26th 2011, 11:14
Patrick Vella, SPRING HUNTING IS LEGAL! No amount of playing around with words will make it illegal. The Maltese Hunters are in the countryside enjoying this season in a LEGAL manner. Are you finding it so difficult to stomach this?! Poaching is illegal, dear!
Mark Camilleri, you missed my point completely! Actually, I was saying that poaching takes place when hunters are not out! Was it so difficult for you to understand?!
Mr Mark Camilleri
Apr 25th 2011, 23:46
Sylvana if you really beleive that just because the past 48hrs were mostly covering closed season, it means that no birds were shot, then you are really living in coockoo land
Mr John Azzopoardi
Apr 25th 2011, 23:18
Why not take up another cause. How about talking about all the kiling of human lives taking place next door to us in Libya. Stop the whining.
Jason Borg
Apr 26th 2011, 08:52
Why don't you take the cause yourself and stop interfering in other people's interests?
PS. for your info, the carnage taking place in Syria is much greater than in Libya. Another worthy cause for you, maybe?
Mr Glenn Camilleri
Apr 25th 2011, 21:22
We humans are in general very selfish. Let birds live ! Yes to Life - no to hunting.
Mr Patrick Vella
Apr 25th 2011, 21:16
Dera Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin - Spring Hunting is NOt legal - hunting for a limited number of quail & turtles doves during specific dates is legal ONLY - any shooting of ANY OTHER BIRD is ILLEGAL !
Mrs Shirley Spiteri
Apr 25th 2011, 20:58
Hunting illegal birds is done for profit. It is a business with collectors paying large amounts of money to add to their "Private Collections". These hunters don't hunt for sport they hunt for profit and they wouldn't waste a bullet on a bird that was not illegal and therefore valuable. Are the police not aware of the existence of this black market which has been operating in Malta for years and perhaps the location of at least some of these "private collections" Raid them, fine them and make an example of them and stop this illegal trade and then you will also start to stamp out the illegal hunting when you take away the profit factor. These hunters can make three months or more wages for just one bird. Everyone knows this it is the worst kept secret on the island. Do you wonder why it goes on and on and on and gives the rest of the hunters such a bad name. Where there is money to be made there is always someone willing to take the risk and break the law to get it.
Mr Paul Caruana
Apr 25th 2011, 18:47
Was there ever any doubt that this was going to happen? And we are not even counting the mass of illegal shooting that is remaining undetected.
In theory hunting should be limited to a few thousand "gamiem u summien" - good one, that!
In practice we all know that the majority of 'sportsmen' of this blood sport will shoot at anything that flies!
I do expect EU authorities to come down hard on the farcical, if politically convenient, attitude of the Maltese government as it relates to spring hunting.
Mr steve Micalled
Apr 25th 2011, 18:41
why is it always the same bird?
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 25th 2011, 18:39
BLM I can see through your agenda. Seeing that it is being proven that with hunters in the countryside, poaching decreases, you are trying to make an effort to fault this!!! It has however escaped you that "the past 48 hours" covers the close season between Saturday at 12 noon and Sunday all day! BLM, you might convince the gullible few BUT not us, sensible readers!!! Stop clutching at straws!!! Spring Hunting is LEGAL!!!!!
Mr Charles Gauci
Apr 25th 2011, 21:07
I must say that you have convinced me that poachers (hunters breaking the law) do respect the non-hunting days. Last Friday (public holiday - non-hunting day) I and friends of mine must have been dreaming. I am sure we imagined we were hearing continuous shooting. The guy who saw a Kestrel being shot and at whose feet fell a dead Turtle Dove which was not retrieved (he did not pick it up but returned in the afternoon a found it was still there) must have imagined it all - even though he photographed it. No, I am now convinced that poachers may kill protected birds but certainly not on non-hunting days. U hallijna!
Ms Maria Vella
Apr 26th 2011, 15:04
Ms. Zarb Darmanin
Can you explain this enthusiasm towards hunting?
Mr Anthony Formosa
Apr 25th 2011, 18:21
Can someone explain to me who in the right mind shoot and kill a bird and leave it behind to be collected by others? such birds cannot be mistaken with a turtle dove or quail. The birdwatchers were on the scene but see no evil hear no evil. What is going on? Which location were shot? Yesterday hunting was banned.
Mr Chris Xuereb
Apr 25th 2011, 18:43
Nobody in their right frame of mind kills birds for fun, period.
You seem more concerned that he left the bird behind.
Nice one BLM, keep them coming