Malta has the highest concentration of birds killed per square kilometre in the Mediterranean but totals are nowhere near those of neighbouring countries, a study found.
The island’s small size means that about 340 birds are killed illegally for every square kilometre, according to a Birdlife International study on bird hunting in the Mediterranean region entitled ‘The killing’.
The average 108,000 birds killed illegally ever year in Malta pales into insignificance when compared to the millions killed in other Mediterranean countries. In fact, Malta was not in the top 10 list of Mediterranean countries in terms of most bird kills.
The concentration in Italy is 20 times lower, with just 19 birds shot illegally per square kilometre. But the study, based on a research paper by renowned zoologist Anne-Laure Brochet, found that a whopping 5.6 million birds are killed in Italy.
The same is true for Egypt, where roughly the same amount is killed, as well as Syria and Lebanon. Albania, in 10th place, shoots more than double the number in Malta.
The study found that the island’s 316 square kilometres are inhabited by at least 31 hunters per square kilometre, all vying to take down one of the 20 regularly breeding bird species.
France, on the other hand, has an area of 547,030 square kilometres, only two hunters per square kilometre and nearly 300 regular breeding bird species to choose from. Looking at the region as a whole, the report estimates that some 25 million birds are being illegally killed in the Mediterranean each year. The birds were being shot, trapped, poisoned and even glued for sport and food.
The birds most commonly targeted include chaffinches, blackcaps, quails and song thrushes. However, threatened species, such as turtle doves, the report says, have seen a population decline of nearly 80 per cent over the past 30 years.
Commenting on the findings, published yesterday, Birdlife International CEO Patricia Zurita said: “This review shows the gruesome extent to which birds are being illegally killed in the Mediterranean.”
ivan.martin@timesofmalta.com