BirdLife, CABS, report surge in shooting of protected birds
A hunter was found to have shot four quail when he was only allowed to shoot one per day.
BirdLife Malta and CABS, the German based Committee Against Bird Slaughter - said today that initial results from their respective conservation camps showed that the opening of the spring hunting season resulted in a dramatic increase in the illegal shooting of protected birds.
They said they recorded nearly 950 shots outside hunting hours, 61 protected birds being shot at, and 52 protected birds with gunshot injuries in flight.
During the hunting season alone BirdLife Malta received 22 shot protected birds.
More protected birds were seen shot at, and more shot protected birds were received by BirdLife Malta, than during the same periods of the past three years combined, when the hunting season was either closed or boycotted.
The organisations also recorded other illegalities such as the use of cage traps, shotguns capable of firing more than three rounds, and hunters not wearing the obligatory armband. BirdLife Malta recorded illegalities in 89% of locations visited.
MEPA recently announced only 1,842 Turtle Dove and 366 Quail were reported killed by around 5,600 hunters during this spring's 15 day season.The hunting lobby blamed this low catch on a poor migration. BirdLife Malta and CABS said, however, that they recorded a good migration.
BirdLife Malta Executive Director Paul Debono said it was clear that self regulation by hunters has failed as shown by the low figures recorded by MEPA. The SMS system for recording the number of birds that were shot had also failed.
"How is the Commission to take these figures seriously?"
BirdLife Malta's Spring Watch ran from the 10th to the 24th April while CABS operations ran from 22nd April to 2nd May. BirdLife Malta had a maximum of 6 teams while CABS had a maximum of 4 teams in the field at any time, therefore only a small part of Malta and Gozo were covered, the NGOs said.
The two organizations will be presenting the European Commission with a joint report on the illegalities observed during this open hunting season in the coming weeks.
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Mr Fabian Borg
May 10th 2011, 20:32
I was just out on te coutryside for the past few days and these things I can say as I witnessed them
1. Ghar Lapsi area is full of Blue Rock Thrushes, Malta`s National Bird apart from other warblers and the usual sparrows, hirundines, swifts and swallows.
2. There is also a kestrel who has made its its territory.
3. In Kalkara I saw three kestrels hunting small prey and other birds.
4. At White Rocks there are countless seagulls going to and fro from Maghtab Landfill.
All this after a legal spring hunting season.
Andrew Gatt
May 9th 2011, 11:50
Yeah right. There was such a surge in shooting of protected species that we're knee-deep in birds.
CABS themselves reported significant progress during the open season after an unprecedented fly-in of raptors............while BLM said exactly the opposite! And all they could regale us with this article are 4 shot QUAIL.
Sorry guys. This was a LEGAL SPRING HUNTING SEASON with an all-time low of incidents. One or two videos, a few birds, no "massacres", no "bird cemeteries", no "mayhem" in the countryside blah blah blah. I wonder what mudslinging you lot will come up with next?
Obsessed, pathetic sore losers.
Mrs K. Portelli
May 9th 2011, 10:13
This joint press release leaves one more than somewhat baffled considering that just the other week i.e. 28th April, CABS had reported "real progress".
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110428/local/hunting-cabs-reports-real-progress.362671
One is amply justified to query their evident u-turn.
If as I get a hunch their contribution in this report is based on events occurring post 30th April (end of legal hunting season), then it becomes evermore evident that what's at play here is the individual poachers who know no legitimate boundaries. Within such a scenario it is irrelevant whether there was an open season or not since these individuals wouldn't play by the rules. Going logically by CABS' own previous statement when the hunting season was still open, one may actually infer that during the legal hunting season these poaching individuals were actually deterred and their illegal purposes kept at bay by the legitimate hunters.
I am also somewhat puzzled as to gunshot (outside hunting timings) figures. I'd highly appreciate anyone highlighting how shots taken at the various shooting ranges are eventually discerned in the distance from poaching ones.
With reference to the “good migration” reported, regarding turtle doves and quail, BLM and Cabs seem to have conveniently omitted to mention that the only reasonable passes of turtle doves were on - Sunday 17th April when no hunting was permitted, on Friday 22nd April (Good Friday) when also no hunting was permitted and on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd May when the hunting season had closed.
With regards to quail pass it was negligible throughout with localised occasional and sparse appearances.
It is highly evident that such press releases have no objective end in sight. These assertions focus solely on a specific end completely disregarding collateral damage in the process. Further continued antagonism and confrontation with the hunting community and persistent direct opposition to local peculiarities and limitations within a legitimate sphere, may eventually prove more detrimental than beneficial to long-term conservation efforts.
Co-operation rather than constant altercations may lead to better protection and conservation of resident birds and their habitats, better protection of visiting ones and possibly even to towards eventual re-introductory measures of locally extinct ones.
Whilst BLM and CABS' focus solely on avian conservation, adopting stances geared towards co-ordination rather than perpetual confrontation would logically include a wider perspective of conservation, to include habitats which are locally increasingly depleting and degenerating, to also include the protection and conservation of the diverse other natural inhabitants.
Considering the increased resolution by the local hunting associations to curb illegalities, BLM and CABS may heed to focus their efforts on this as a starting block towards a harmonisation between the diverging factions.
Ms C Magro
May 8th 2011, 17:24
congratulations - you collectively manage to signify the epitome of ignorance found on this island. All hunting - legal and otherwise - should be totally banned once and for all, and properly punished when discovered.
Mr A. Mizzi
May 8th 2011, 08:46
Maltese ,so called, Hunters just cannot be trusted, not even with legislation! Just Ban Hunting Full Stop!
Mr Johnny Xerri
May 7th 2011, 21:44
Legal spring hunting has nothing what so ever with illegal poaching.
If that were so, and if illegalities are to be used to ban legal activities, then we might as well ban anything from driving to having sex....since joyriders will always abuse their licence conditions and some man will always rape.
Lets for one second imagine (and only imagine) that spring hunting is banned. Do you believe that protected birds will not be killed? The only species that might be spared from poachers (but I doubt it) would be turtle doves and quail. So who would benefit from such a ban? No one. Who would be burdened by such a ban? Only the law abiding hunter
Mr mario salnitro
May 7th 2011, 19:53
Come on grow up make up your mind BLM & CABS you are just plain irritated that we are hunting during .
.
spring ,gobble it up because spring hunting is here to stay
Mr Victor Falzon
May 7th 2011, 23:14
More than plain irritated, Mr Salnitro, you can safely call it outright disgust.
As for gobbling it up, well Mr Salnitro my advice to you: don't hold your breath!
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
May 7th 2011, 18:02
Well, BLM has pulled CABS' ears for stating last week that a significant improvement has been noted. A complete U-turn! As for BLM they are clutching at any straw! They just cannot stomach it that with law-abiding hunters in the field there has been a decrease in poaching. They just cannot stomach it that OUR Malta Police Force, through funds eminating from the Special Licence fee paid by hunters, has controlled the situation. Well you may convince the gullible few BUT definitely not sensible readers!
Mr Charles Gauci
May 7th 2011, 22:15
The police, with their very limited resorces, are certainly doing a fine job. The fact remains that despite the special licence fee they are still grossly understaffed and coluld only cover a very limited area. However, when all hunters who broke the law these last two months are taken to court, the real picture of how much poaching has increased as a result of the open season will come to light. I beg you to have some patience.
Mr Saliba Francis
May 7th 2011, 17:54
A week is a very long time when these "hunters" are at their habitual task of destruction!
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
May 7th 2011, 16:59
Could we see sworn statements regarding migration being good. Ever since the spring season opened the Bird sightings section of Birdlife Malta's website has indicated:
"We are currently experiencing some technical problems with this area of the site. We hope to repair this problem soon."
Anyone with good intentions knows exactly what this year's migration consisted of. Those that publicly declare wanting to stop spring hunting seem to be seeing things which others don't.
If CABS and BLM consider this season's migration to be good clearly they must be referring to that of butterflies or possibly raptors but certainly not to that of Turtle Dove and Quail.
Jason Borg
May 7th 2011, 18:31
Mr. Mifsud Bonnici - migration does not start and stop with Turtle Doves. It involves many other bird species, some of which are favourite targets for illegal hunters. This year's favourite target seemed to be the Cuckoo, which arrived in larger numbers than usual.
Ms Emma Xerri
May 7th 2011, 15:59
Why the killings?
The sensless destruction of these beautiful creatures is what the local church should be preaching and campaigning against and not divorce. I wish the EU would step in a slap Malta with a hefty fines and censure, perhaps this will finally goad the local government to take this matter seriiously and put a stop to this obscenity once and for all.
Mr Johnny Xerri
May 7th 2011, 21:38
Dear Emma,
The church you choose to advocate and bring into the argument should also speak against lies (remember a certain comandment? Thou shall not bear false witness).
The EU you choose to advocate and bring into the argument would should be equally aksed to speak and slap hefty fines on all countries in which poaching, poisoning and killing of protected birds occur.
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2011/02/24/50-buzzards-poisoned-in-southern-germany/
http://europeanraptors.org/conservation/4-white-tailed-sea-eagles-in-germany-poisoned/
So much damage to protected raptors happening in Germany....and yet some fools demand that action is taken only against Malta.
Mr Joe Camilleri
May 7th 2011, 15:42
BLA BLA BLA.
What a sour pill for BLM and CABS this Spring hunting was.
Carmel Xuereb
May 7th 2011, 15:16
Kif dejjaqtuna tal-Bird Life dejjem teqirdu u tesegeraw. M'ghandkomx x'taghlu ohorgu fil-kampanja u hudu l-filmat tal-kaccatur jispara ghal tajra protetta u ghaddu kopja lill-pulizjija halli jiehdu azzjoni. u jiena naf fi zgur li jiehdu lezzjoni ghad dan l-ahhar xi Spettur fil-Qorti qal li jrid jaghti lezzjoni lill-kaccatur. jiena naqbel 100% li min jabbuza ghandu jiehu l-kastig li haqqu imma b'tal-Bird Life il-kaccatur innocenti u dritt qed ilaqqatha fuq rasu wkoll, haga li m'ghandiex tkun. Ghalhekk sinjuri tal-Bird Life ibdew gibu l-ismijiet tal-kaccaturi li taqbdu jabbuzaw jew intom biss qeghdin f'xi kamra tistennew lil min icemplilkom li sar xi abbuz. Stand up to be counted sinjuri.
Mr Charles Gauci
May 7th 2011, 22:05
Sur Xuereb tal-Birdlife ma jaqbdux il-kaccaturi li jabbuzaw. Dak xoghol il-pulizija. Tal-BirdLife jirrapurtaw u jesponu l-abbuzi. Huwa d-dmir taghkom li tghidu li inthom kaccaturi nnocenti li tirrapurtaw lil min jikser il-ligi. Hemm hafna izjed cans li tkunu tafu x'jisimhom inthom kaccaturi bhalkom.
Mr Anthony Formosa
May 7th 2011, 15:10
Now I'm confused with these statements. Can BLM and CABS make up their mind. Can BLM and CABS be more specific to mention the time and date the alleged illegalities took place?
Mr David Delmar
May 7th 2011, 15:08
Always the same bla bla bla from BLM and cabs.Please change tactics as we are getting used and bored with the same story!!!! And by the way,Why did you change opinion dear cabs????? Wasn't the statement you made about a week ago popular enough????
Jason Borg
May 7th 2011, 18:26
Mr. Delmar - what people will never get used to is the abuse perpetrated by irresponsible hunters. And if CABS praised one afternoon's control at Miżieb, do not take it for granted that everywhere else was a bed of roses. Now if some hunters want to hide the facts about illegal shooting, that's another issue.
Mr David Delmar
May 8th 2011, 20:01
Mr Borg,
Regarding what you wrote about what people will never get used to, about abuse and so on I want you to try and understand that abuse is not only a hunting issue,abuse is everyday's issue on every issue.Don't try to implicate that abuses occur only during hunting.I never quoted that everything is a bed of roses,not with us hunters and neither with "Bird lovers" either but improvement has been made either you agree with me or not ! Hiding the thruth is not my type but exagerating about numbers and about illegalities is not my type either.I was out hunting every single day the law permitted and I can tell that illegalities were at the minimum this spring. I consider shooting on protected birds as a crime and thanks to the good job done by the police the culprits will soon face what they merit.
Miriam Sargent
May 7th 2011, 15:01
oh and they forgot to send sms I guess1 tsk tsk!!
Mr joseph lia
May 7th 2011, 14:55
Yaaaawnnnn, its becoming desperate it seems, yet another U-turn with these CABS people were's the 'significant improvement noted...' of only last week's statement by, none other , than CABs themselves!!??
Jason Borg
May 7th 2011, 15:06
Quote from Mr. Lia: Yaaaawnnnn
Orqod, orqod, ibni orqod...
Fil-benniena tal-ħarir,
Ħalli t-tajr minn fuqna jpassi
U jeħlisha minn xi tir.
Naaaaa.....naaaaaa...... :-)
Mr Mark Cutajar
May 7th 2011, 15:28
Hunters will experience the true meaning of desperation next Spring.
The improvement noted is that it's on course for a ban. When it comes to who decides the fate of your passtime & the protection of the species, hunters or 'poachers' is irrelevant.