Birdlife yesterday published a map that illustrates the huge increase in the countryside that would be safely accessible to the public if Malta’s nature protection areas were designated as “no-hunting zones”.

The hunters and trappers rule roost

The proposals would see the area of the countryside where hunting and trapping is prohibited increase by more than 320 per cent, from 1,686 hectares to 5,455 hectares.

The map shows the country’s Natura 2000 protected sites, which Birdlife said should be designated as no-hunting areas, along with the areas currently designated as bird sanctuaries, where hunting and trapping are prohibited.

This amounts to just five per cent of the land area of the Maltese islands, the largest such “sanctuary” being Malta International Airport. Other areas designated as bird sanctuaries include Marsa Golf Course and the former Ta’ Qali airfield.

Birdlife yesterday also launched the second banner in its ‘Your Voice Counts’ campaign depicting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, gagged with stickers bearing the letters RTO over their mouths.

In a statement, Birdlife executive director Steve Micklewright said: “For years hunters and trappers have been allowed to rule the roost in the Maltese countryside. Successive governments have not only turned a blind eye to illegal occupation, development and restriction of public access, but have actually defended and even rewarded such activities by Malta’s hunters and trappers by creating ‘hunting reserves’ on public land.”

The banner refers to the proliferation of illegal signs and graffiti in the countryside proclaiming public areas to be ‘Privat’ or ‘Riservato’ and the leaders’ reluctance to speak about issues relating to wildlife and the countryside in their election campaigns.