BirdLife reports rise in shot protected birds
A shot Pallid Harrier.
BirdLife Malta said today that since the opening of the autumn season on September 1, it had received 62 shot protected birds- nearly double the total of 33 shot protected birds recovered over the same period last year.
"This is the worst autumn hunting season since the organization started keeping detailed records of shot birds in 2007."
Over 60% of the shot protected birds were birds of prey, including rare species in Europe such as the Pallid Harrier.
Furthermore during BirdLife's international bird monitoring Raptor Camp the conservation organization recorded an additional 124 injured protected birds in flight with visible gunshot injuries, and a further 106 protected birds being shot at or shot down by illegal hunters.
Commenting on the present situation, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager, Nicholas Barbara said "We have been witnessing widespread and commonplace illegal shooting and killing of protected species this autumn. The nearly 300 protected birds we witnessed being killed or received are just those we could record with our limited resources. We suspect that with the shot birds directly reported to the authorities and the unrecorded incidences, thousands of protected birds have been killed this autumn."
The flood of dead and injured protected birds received during the autumn hunting season has overwhelmed the Maltese authorities to the extent that the National Museum of Natural History, the Malta Police Force, as well as MEPA have no more capacity to store the carcasses of shot birds, BirdLife added.
BirdLife Malta alone recorded 567 incidences of illegal hunting at 40 different locations in Malta and Gozo during its Raptor Camp in September.
With a daily average of just three police vehicles observed patrolling the countryside, the mean response time to illegal hunting incidents reported to police by Raptor Camp teams was 50 minutes.
"All the evidence shows that illegal hunting is getting worse and that current enforcement is not effective in deterring illegal hunters from shooting protected birds," continued Mr Barbara.
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Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Nov 18th 2012, 13:26
Pippo Demarco, I would have rather expected some decent comment regarding the topic being discussed. Are you capable of attacking the subject instead of the messenger?! But well, how can you ever defend such a bombastic and exagerrated article by BLM?!!!
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Nov 17th 2012, 18:07
Mario Tabone, instead of trying to be clever you succeeded to be uneducated!! Since when do you address someone you do not know by his / her first name?! Meanwhile, do you really consider your comment to be an intelligent one?!
Louis Joseph Borg, immaterial of what you state, yes I will persist in defending the rights of the many Maltese Law-abiding hunters! Sorry to disappoint you!
Pippo de Marco
Nov 17th 2012, 20:19
"Succeeded to be uneducated"
So, that's one point for the oxymoron, two for the double-negative, another point for the irony and a bonus point for entertainment value.
Well done, Mrs Zarb Darmanin.
Joseph Calleja
Nov 17th 2012, 09:18
Election is very near and law enforcement seems to be turning a blind eye so as not to embarrass the party in government. Is this a sin of omission or commission? Some speculation please.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Nov 17th 2012, 08:58
BLM has to stay alive as winter is setting in. This is a hot issue and If BLM wants to sell such issue better go to a Kindergarten School as we are no stupid, reports and reports just stier friction within the nation.
How sad to read such mud slinging articles
Ninu
Dorianne Bonello
Nov 17th 2012, 08:20
Siggiewi feels like a war zone this morning with all the shooting. We've picked up a number of injured birds like skylarks and sturnelli during countryside walks so as to rehabilitate them. I have one skylark who has a missing eye, his beak is distorted and his wing is permanently disabled. Poor birds...
Patrick Pace
Nov 16th 2012, 19:42
I think Bird Life Malta need to go to schools and educate children about how many beautiful birds come to Malta and unfortunately we rarely get to see!
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Nov 16th 2012, 19:03
BLM, pull the other one??!! Your usual exaggerations! I urge the National Museum of Natural History, the Malta Police Force, as well as MEPA to confirm or otherwise what BLM are stating! They should also confirm whether all these species were shot by Maltese poachers in Malta. On the other hand, if BLM's statement is untrue, I expect that action be taken against them!
Mario Tabone
Nov 16th 2012, 19:28
And we also have Sylvana who tries to be clever by copying what MMB has to say , but as usual ends up entertaining these columns with not very intelligent comments.
LOUIS JOSEPH BORG
Nov 17th 2012, 01:41
mrs sylvana,
you are free to come with me to show you stuffed international protected birds in maltese houses owned by hunters that started hunting after the 1980 bird protection laws. your support for maltese hunters is solo and ill fated!
M. Cardona
Nov 16th 2012, 19:00
Does increased awareness equate to an increase in shot protected birds?
"Injured birds in flight"; how does that translate to illegally shot at birds?
Also, the figures simply do not tally! BLM may wish to review;
62 "received" + 124 "injured in flight" + 106 "being shot at" does not equate to "300 birds killed or received"
BLM please decide lest one thinks the figures are hogwash.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 16th 2012, 18:59
Imma dawn il-ftit ma jitghallmu qatt ? Hemm hafna kaccaturi serji u dawn ghandhom informaw lil-awtoritajiet b'min qed jikser il-ligi.
A.P.Naudi
Mario Tabone
Nov 16th 2012, 18:38
I see Mark Mifsud Bonnici has been let off the lease again and back to his old self......always in denial of what his so called hunter friends are doing to our wildlife and reputation !!!
I wonder if we have a member of parliament from whichever party who really has some morals left and who will put forward a private members bill for the total abolition of this atrocity.
Edward Camilleri
Nov 16th 2012, 16:36
With illegal hunting add the illegal trapping of any bird that passes over these islands. In some areas of Malta, especially Gozo, you would think that the trapping season is open for all birds.
K Zammit
Nov 16th 2012, 16:00
Bhal ma ninsab cert li jafu l-BLM, id-direzzjoni li jidhol minnha fuq gziritna tigi determinata skond ir-rih tal-gurnata. Dan jghodd ukoll ghal hamiem tat-tigrija. Ninnota li l-aktar li jigi milqut il-hamiem ikun bir-rih isfel, peress li l-hamiem jitla fil-baxx. Nixtieq tittiehed azzjoni biex min hu irresponsabbli jinqabad. Grazzi.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Nov 16th 2012, 15:59
Yesterday on the ORNIS agenda apart from other items there was the report and attendance by the ALE and once more Birdlife decided to absent themselves from such an important issue. It is obvious that they are not concerned with the facts but only with their inflation of illegal hunting publicity.
The least Birdlife can do is to contribute and advise way forward, and stop moaning.
K Zammit
Nov 16th 2012, 15:57
Li nixtieq nikkummenta fuq dan is-suggett hu li minn xi xahar ilu 'l hawn id-dilettanti tal-hamiem kien qed ikollhom hafna hamiem li jirritorna milqut jew sahansitra ma jirritornax ghax xi nies irresponsabbli qedghin jisparaw fuqu. Dan rari (biex ma nghidx qatt) ma jigi irrapurtat mill-BLM. Dan ghaliex? Dawn mhux tjur ukoll?.
anthony sultana
Nov 16th 2012, 14:41
I say the current government is very weak, or we don't have government at all.Who is going to stop this atrocities if we don't have a government.If one want to stop the birds killing, yes there is a way.
Mr C Galea
Nov 16th 2012, 14:36
Tel lme something I do not already know, it seems that most maltese idividuals are above the law????????????????
Jeff Mead
Nov 16th 2012, 14:22
Rise in shot protected birds, you're not kidding we moved to Gozo from the UK 9 months ago, purchased a small farm.hse, now with all the noise and shooting that goes on every day 24x7 is driving my indoors up the bloody wall, so much so that we decided to sell up and move out back to Blighty where we belong, Gozo is not all that what its is made out to be, peacefull and traquility, not anymore.
Shawn Grixti
Nov 16th 2012, 14:39
Bye bye!
Darren Caruana
Nov 16th 2012, 14:48
Good ......go home
C Borg
Nov 16th 2012, 14:57
How can you state that there was a 'rise' compared to the last years while you have been here only for 9 months?
'Shooting that goes every day 24x7' ? I don't know whether to call your statemet a big fat lie or a gross exageration.
I think your decision to sell up is more motivated by financial needs rather than the actual few early shots.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 16th 2012, 16:25
@ J.Mead
Unlike those who don't give a damn about our reputation abroad, or how our economy is affected by their sick games and insults, I have no reason to doubt your words,
I am just sorry that small-minded, morons are driving you away from these otherwise civilised and beautiful islands. Please don't think badly of us all.
Btw; are you Jeff Mead the UK TV Journalist ?
S Atkins
Nov 16th 2012, 19:24
I agree with Mr de Marco.
S. Vella
Nov 16th 2012, 20:15
@Darren Caruan
It's probably a safe guess - most of us would prefer if you had to leave instead of Mr Mead. Your lack of manners is appalling.
Shawn Grixti
Nov 16th 2012, 14:16
Honestly I am quite sure that Bird Life is playing the game of Collateral Damage so the the hunters look bad and hunting would become banned. I do not believe the figures they are giving out. Just a propaganda. There might be a few illegal hunting but numbers are definitely exaggerated.
G G Debono
Nov 16th 2012, 14:52
To Shawn Grixti
RE “……………. the figures (birdlife) are giving out ...........just propaganda ……………….. definitely exaggerated.
Probably the opposite - for every shot bird found there are probably tens – or hundreds - that are not found.
Shawn Grixti
Nov 16th 2012, 15:14
@Debono - How many birds do you think migrate over Malta in the first place? Do you know that Malta is not the actual pathway for migrating birds? How can more birds being shot than actually passing over Malta?
G G Debono
Nov 16th 2012, 20:53
Shawn
RE "- How many birds do you think migrate over Malta in the first place? "
So what ? - that doesn't change the facts......
The number of birds killed must out-number the amount of dead birds found.
Colin Stanley
Nov 16th 2012, 14:12
don't dare kill a bird in the EU ,have an abortion instead.
Chris Galea
Nov 16th 2012, 15:45
hear hear
G G Debono
Nov 16th 2012, 20:55
Mr Stanley
The old sick argument to deflect the discussion...
Don't mix apples and oranges - - we are talking about killing birds here.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Nov 16th 2012, 14:09
BLM
The comment by S. Atkins shows your propaganda .is having the desired effect.
So neither the National Museum of Natural History, the Malta Police Force, as well as MEPA have no more capacity to store the carcasses of shot birds. Can we have confirmation from these entities confirming this fact?
Can Birdlife substantiate the " nearly 300 protected birds" they witnessed being killed?
Pippo de Marco
Nov 16th 2012, 16:02
Does someone have to be a member of a hunting association in order to obtain and retain a shotgun ?
Can KSU and FKNK substantiate how many licensed hunters are shooting protected birds?
Chris Galea
Nov 16th 2012, 14:06
''The flood of dead and injured protected birds received during the autumn hunting season has overwhelmed the Maltese authorities to the extent that the National Museum of Natural History, the Malta Police Force, as well as MEPA have no more capacity to store the carcasses of shot birds, BirdLife added'' ............... now that's what you call Exaggeration !!!
R. Vella.
Nov 16th 2012, 14:04
sure.. lets ban hunting; but wait.. lets also ban fireworks (there had been accidents recently), lets also ban football (there had been cases of curruption), and why not ban priests (since 2 were caught corrupting minors), lets also ban politicians...
S. Vella
Nov 16th 2012, 20:09
Right behind you on all of them except football. Joking aside, you are comparing apples to oranges.
Tony Debono
Nov 16th 2012, 14:02
Debonot,
It seems that law enforcement is non existent in this country. That is why anarchy reigns!! Harsher laws should be made on gun laws; like the weapon & gun licence should be confiscated for life, when the perpetrator gets caught.
mario salnitro
Nov 16th 2012, 14:16
Birdlife always exaggerates its figures.
I guarantee there were few irregularities this year more and more hunters are obeying the law.
I know as i am out hunting each morning not just commenting about something i do not know anything about!!!
S. Vella
Nov 16th 2012, 20:07
@Mario Salnitro
...and yet people like me who are not in the least inolved in the hunting debate find BirdLife more credible. The reason is simple - take a stroll through the countryside with open eyes and ears.
S Atkins
Nov 16th 2012, 13:30
There is a solution - ban hunting. I think that there should be a referendum on this issue.
Mariella Galea
Nov 16th 2012, 13:47
What would one resolve by the Ban of hunting?
Poachers will still remain poachers!!
S Atkins
Nov 16th 2012, 14:08
It would be infinitely easier to identify poachers if hunting is not allowed.
C Cassar
Nov 16th 2012, 14:08
er, no. When hunting is banned anyone with a gun shooting a bird will be easy to indentify and arrest. At the moment poachers/'hunters' are viewed in the same light and the law is ineffective.
mario salnitro
Nov 16th 2012, 14:14
Ban hunting?? who the hell are you to tell us what to do in our country??
First comment about your country then maybe you can comment about ours.
Kevin Camilleri
Nov 16th 2012, 14:14
There are a lot of thing which I don't like or which I don't do one of them is hunting, but I don't expect that just because I don't do it, it should be banned.
joe muscat
Nov 16th 2012, 14:30
is hunting banned in your country ? and you come here to tell us what to do in our country
Mr Anthony Formosa
Nov 16th 2012, 14:38
S.Atkins
Any solution for this?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121115/local/23-policemen-injured-in-paceville-this-year.445523
S Atkins
Nov 16th 2012, 14:39
@ Kevin Camilleri - I do not want hunting banned because I don't do it, rather because I do not approve of birds being killed for one's amusement.
@ mario salnitro - This is the second comment of the kind that I have gotten on this website. For your information, I am Maltese, born and bred - thus that should entitle me to comment in your book.
G G Debono
Nov 16th 2012, 14:48
To Mariella Galea
Do Poachers have guns? If they have guns do they have a permit? If they have a permit does this not make them hunters ?
U ejja !
Andrew James Brown
Nov 16th 2012, 18:16
I agree with atkins,a referendum to get rid this embarrassment on our country
Stephen Frendo
Nov 16th 2012, 18:46
Lies!!! Considering the present exaggerated fines and restrictions on hunting, a hunter would me crazy if he thinks about shooting protected species. U Alla jbierek, tajr protett biss isibu ferut tal-Birdlife!!
S. Vella
Nov 16th 2012, 20:04
Don't ban hunting - ban shotguns and firearms.
Skilled hunters can use bow and arrows.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 17th 2012, 07:50
@ Stephen Frendo,
It is plain to see that money isn't a factor when it comes to satisfying blood lust. It is far cheaper to buy game than shoot it. - But then you did say, 'a hunter would be crazy' and I would not disagree with you.
As for the alleged 'Lies' ... Well, unless you can substantiate your claim(s) then it would be safer and wiser to keep to the facts.
keith perry
Nov 17th 2012, 10:02
joe muscat : http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/11/15/no-more-hunting-of-any-kind-in-botswana/
Please choose the reason of your report below: