Re: Malta

The autumn migration is well underway and despite the enforcement of the EC bird’s directive when Malta joined the EU in 2004 illegal killing of migrant bird species continues to be a persistent and unregulated conservation threat. More than a hundred protected species were recently found dead in a mass grave in Mizieb on the island..  

What are your wildlife experiences of Malta, good or bad?

Have never been and will never go for that very reason!

I have just read your report. Like MarJus, I have never been - and I certainly won't be wanting to go there now.

It is also important though to acknowledge that the illegal hunters still only represent a small minority of the overall population. Without tourism there wouldn't be as many eyes to report incidents or help bring in a financial stream which (in theory) can help to develop better policing of such crimes through government spending.

Certainly the migration volunteers who go out there do a truly fantasitc job in educating and having a conservation presence on the island 

I have been to Malta, but not since '96 but was aware of netting and bird killing then. Whenever I raised the subject,  it was always vehemently denied, so sorry Lloyd I am not of much help.

hi Lloyd

I was reading all about this on another one of my Forums and it had an attached Youtube video with a man talking and babbling away, as a group of 'people' stalked the one solitory BoP in the sky.  It sounded like a day a the races. {Grr)

Reading all this 'sad' information has put me off ever visiting Malta at all.   A small minority of brain dead people spoil it for others.  A bird holiday in Malta would not be on top of my list as it barabric what these people do.  It must affect the tourist industry too - just mindless killing for no reason.

People have no right to hurt any wildlife at all, and goodness knows what goes through their minds when they decide to track down birds as small as Finches.   Netting is another fun thing for them to do too - placing glue on the nets so the birds stuck to the net, and die {grr}

Birds have enough issues with dealing with their everyday life with migration without people popping guns, and glueing them to nets.   If only the birds could do a bit of people popping in the same way. {Grr}

It not although they are short of food at all.

That is my rant over with now {whew}

With the support of others I truly admire their dedication towards the welfare of birds. It will take time for local people to understand that shooting animals is not not socially acceptable anymore,

Even with Spain just opening new reserves/public footpaths has taken years.  In some countries having reserves is considered the best place to shot 'most' birds - so the reserves are introduced with the wrong reasons to pop at birds. {another grr}

At least in the UK we are a lot more consideration and respect our bird life on the whole.  So that is something that we are good at doing to support birds ie by people like the RSPB.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

LloydScott

It is also important though to acknowledge that the illegal hunters still only represent a small minority of the overall population. Without tourism there wouldn't be as many eyes to report incidents or help bring in a financial stream which (in theory) can help to develop better policing of such crimes through government spending.

Certainly the migration volunteers who go out there do a truly fantasitc job in educating and having a conservation presence on the island 

Hi All

Birdlife Malta needs your help to put a stop to the illegal killing of wild birds in Malta. They have launched a campaign calling for the proper enforcement of wildlife laws in Malta in a bid to prevent the further illegal killing of wild birds. If you want to help put pressure on the Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi please sign this petition which you can access by clicking here.

Please be aware that some of the images on the petition site are quite distressing. If you can forward this petition to as many people as you can it would much appreciated, the more names, the more impact.

Thank you for your time.

Ian H

Along with others, Malta is on my no-visit list as a result of the spring hunting and no matter what benefits there would be, I personally think hitting them where it hurts (removing the tourist income) is the best way to get the Maltese government to take notice as a lot more comes from tourists than it ever will from pot-shots at endangered bird species!  There are far better places to visit that take an interest in protecting the wildlife that would be top of my holiday destinations as they are far more deserving of tourist income than those places that continue to support a sport that is so detrimental to many bird species.

Thanks Ian. I have signed.

I have just signed, it's a sad world out there

We visited Malta for many years in the 1990s and whilst never witnessing the slaughter of these birds it was wholly evident that the people had very little regard for the welfare of birds. Many times we saw songbirds held in filthy cages no bigger than 10 x 6" sitting outside  in temperatures of 37c  and the bird markets made me feel so physically sick that we never visited them again. Indeed that was around the time we stopped visiting the Island
The Island relys heavily on the British Tourist and as such a huge campaign should bring pressure to bear.
I have forwarded the petition to all the names in my address book and wish the men and women who risk such abusive behaviour every success in their endevour.

The recent RSPB/BirdLife Malta appeal for to help to stop illegal spring hunting in Malta has had a huge response so far with over 16,000  UK signatures to date! Another 35,000 signatures have been received across BirdLife International in Europe! If you haven’t already, do read the above weblink and add your name! Please please forward the appeal details onto as many friends and colleagues as possible.

Thanks again for your support!  

Hi,

 this probably  won't be a popular post .

I don't see how petitions will help when the Police on Malta turn a  blind eye and the hunters number serving Police Officers among their ranks...

Malta is desperate to be in the EU-  I'm surprised organisations such as the RSPB etc didnt launch a campaign to protest against Malta joining until hunting was banned in the first place.

Malta always puts up the 'hunters votes' excuse. Only the threat of sanctions from the EU is likely to change things , although I have heard reports that the hunters are an older generation and may die out eventually.

Maybe all the Nature/ Bird organisations should pool resources, and make one concerted approach to the EU... 

Malta is obviously a superb place to go birding, maybe we flood it with hundreds of spring and autumn birders, to show the islanders the tourist opportunities; or we try to persuade all Brit tourists  to stay away completely. 

How about suggesting a Springwatch special filmed from Malta ? Would that cause embarassment to the island?

S