Hunters yesterday described Birdlife’s call for Natura 2000 sites to be declared as no-hunting zones as “pure nonsense”, arguing the conservation group’s campaign was aimed at “inciting the public against legal hunting”.

The Hunters’ Federation and the St Hubert Hunters’ Association separately defended their right to hunt in Natura 2000 sites, insisting these were compatible with hunting.

FKNK general secretary Lino Farrugia directed his criticism at the origination’s new executive director, Steve Micklewright, a British national, asking why he was “militantly” trying to “abolish our recreational socio-cultural hunting and trapping passions”.

He said most of the land in Natura 2000 sites was owned by people “whose way of life is hunting and trapping”.

St Hubert’s secretary, David Borg Cardona, said Birdlife was “attempting to hijack the electorate to support (its) anti-hunting stand”.