6 comments so far.CABS film buzzard shot down by hunter – 50 illegal bird callers found
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The Committee Against Bird Slaughter has said in a statement that, “despite the public outcry about the shooting of more than 20 protected birds last week the illegal killing continues.”
The NGO said that this morning volunteers CABS filmed how a hunter shot down a protected Honey Buzzard on the Gebel Ciantar plateau at 7:29am.
The bird was part of a group of buzzards which had roosted in Buskett Gardens and was shot down seconds before it was about to reach the sea at Ghar Lapsi.
“At least 5 hunters were seen hunting in the area where the bird fell down. Instead of helping to catch the poacher all of them either continued hunting or left the area before the police arrived 45 minutes after CABS alerted the headquarters.”
Officers of the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) searched the area but were not able to find either the shot bird or to identify the poacher, said CABS
“Apart from the high number of illegalities observed since the start of the season the police does not seem to have an effective approach for how to bring the situation under control,” CABS Operations Officer Axel Hirschfeld said.
He added, “the main problem is the poor response time which provides the criminals with enough time to hide all evidence and sit at the breakfast table before the police even arrives at the crime scene.” CABS therefore repeats its’ call for the government to set up a professional wildlife crime unit which is able to guarantee the safety of protected birds roosting on Malta.”
“Until such a unit has been set up, hunting should be banned during the period of raptor migration”, CABS stated.
CABS said that it also “endorses Birdlife Malta and the United Nations Environmental Programme who both have already called on the Prime Minister to close the season as too many illegalities were observed. It also stressed that the number of birds shot down unobserved is likely to be a multiple of the number of incidents actually observed or filmed.”
CABS also said that its teams have discovered more than 50 illegal bird callers which have been installed in the countryside by hunters to maximise their quarry.
“We have provided the police with a digital map which contains the locations of the machines and proposed that they should be removed immediately,” CABS staff member Fiona Burrows said. “The artifi2cial lures imitated the courtship song of Quails, ducks, Redshank and protected Dotterels.
Why are the government so complacent? It is as if they support this criminal slaughter. And why don’t the spineless EU issue strict fines and enforcement orders? Strikes me there are a lot of politicians with no backbone out there earning tons of money for old rope.
Can anyone get this highlighted on the BBC? That would make the government sit up and listen. Any journalist with that kind of contact there?
Chris Packham the UK Naturalist and wildlife show presenter has highlighted this deplorable behaviour on many occasions. He regularly travels to Malta specifically to add his weight very publically to the protest against this barbaric practice, but sadly it appears to have had little or no effect. The cowardly powers that be are obviously unconcerned by the slaughter of beautiful creatures and are determined to keep the old school populous happy by allowing hunting to continue. Until someone has both the morals and the courage to stand up to the majority I fear very little will change.
No disrespect meant, but i do wish this guy Chris. whatever his name is and foreigners that are not of these shores would please mind their own business and check out their own country first.,however I do agree in the protection of these migrants birds that is all i can say. I too have a voice as a Maltese citizen and a voter.paying taxes in this country.
Yes Janice, I think all Maltese citizens should be helping in protecting the birds, I hope that someone will hear our voices soon.
Janice – Regarding ‘foreigners minding their own business’ I think this is a fair comment if this was an issue affecting the economy of Malta. Hunting migrating birds does not affect anyone but the birds themselves. This practice is an absolute outrage which has sparked emotion in thousands of people throughout Europe who just want to make their voice heard in the hope the government will take notice and act accordingly. They will be glad that as a Maltese citizen you agree with protection of these birds.