The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – the global authority that in 2015 downlisted the European Turtle-dove’s conservation status to Vulnerable to Extinction on the Red List of Threatened Species – has written to EuropeanCommissioner for the Environment Virginijus Sinkevicius.
BirdLife Malta, said in a statement on Friday, that the letter is requesting the European Commission to “immediately request that Malta protect the European Turtle-dove on its pre-nuptial migration and refrain from opening a spring hunting season in 2023, and in subsequent years, until the species has recovered sufficiently to warrant uplisting under IUCN Red List Criteria.”
The IUCN describes Malta’s decision to lift the moratorium last year despite the continued decline of the species, and to open a season again this year despite the infringement proceedings initiated by the European Commission as “an alarming development.”
The letter, dated 12th April 2023 – was today presented in Court by BirdLife Malta during the hearing on the warrant for prohibitory injunction that was provisionally upheld by Judge Giovanni Grixti.
BirdLife said that following today’s hearing, the final decision will be announced this coming Monday, the day the spring hunting season on Turtle-dove was marked to open.
In today’s sitting, BirdLife Malta said that the Judge declined a request by the State Advocate to revoke the prohibitory injunction which was provisionally upheld some days ago – pending a final decision – so that the Government could open the season as planned on Monday morning.
The Judge is expected to deliver the ruling on Monday at around 9am. In Court BirdLife Malta was assisted by lawyers Dr Martin Farrugia and Dr Claire Bonello.
File photo by BirdLife Malta: Dead Eurasian Collared-dove from Qala, Gozo