Monday, 21st April 2008 - 14:54CET
BirdLife reports attack on birdwatcher's car
A birdwatcher’s car had its windscreen badly cracked and two tyres slit this morning in Gharghur, and an observation post was covered with body parts from at least two cats, BirdLife said in a statement this afternoon.
The attack on the car happened at around 6 a.m.
BirdLife Malta’s Conservation Manager Dr. André Raine said two individuals also hurled abuse at a birdwatching team earlier in the morning.
BirdLife said that last Friday another Spring Watch Team that went to its observation tower in Nadur (Malta) found pieces of wood hidden in the grass with long nails sticking out of them.
“Various teams have been subjected to verbal abuse at different locations since the beginning of the Spring Watch Camp. One of the teams at Delimara in the afternoon on Monday, April 14 was surrounded by aggressive individuals and ordered to leave the area, although the team was on public land.
“A team posted at Fomm ir-Rih in the morning on Sunday, April 20 was approached by a group of individuals who had previously been observed hiding a shotgun in the foliage. These individuals blocked the road with a pickup truck so that the Spring Watch Camp participants could not leave the area and demanded to see the video footage taken by the Team Leader. One of the Maltese volunteers on the team spoke to them to diffuse the situation and on informing them that the Police were on their way, these individuals left the area” the society said.
BirdLife said it was appealing to the government to take all necessary measures to handle the situation in the countryside.
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Comments
However i enjoy joining some relatives and friends in the country for a hunt and i sure enjoy a meal of game, its traditionally Maltese and also European. Last November i ate game everyday in Hungary and friends tell me that they shoot thousands of birds there that are exported to England and the rest of Europe.
On my enjoyable hunting expeditions i have never ever witnessed hundreds or thousands of birds shot in Malta, this is obviously a lie fabricated by Birdlife to sensationalise an issue. I suspect that the real agenda is the abolition of hunting. All this because some people do not have the guts to look and witness the real world and where our food comes from. I am sure that if some had to see the conditions chickens are hatched in, the way a calf is killed, a baby lamb slaughtered or a pig butchered then probably these soft individuals would forget about the hunting of a few turtledoves and quail and concentrate on other much bigger issues.
It is very sad that people have an opinion that all Maltese are blood thirsty hunters where in actual fact the real situation is that there are a few poachers who do not respect the law. however this happens in each and every country, the only difference is that not all hunters are blamed, but the culprit is caught and his license revoked.
The only situation that will come out of this spring hunting ban is that more Maltese people will travel and hunt larger numbers than has ever happened, simply because all they would have is a week where as in the past it was closer to 3 or 4 weeks and each individual would cath between 12 and 24 game birds, in total.
Oh forgot to mention that i'll be stalking deer very soon in the UK, fancy coming over for a watch there too?
The crux of the issue is that -
Hunter to experience the thrill of the kill (harvest is less precise),
are taking over the countryside during the best months (less Sundays afternoons).
The argument that some hunters use on their own land is respectfully flawed, since the lead will reach a wider area, not to mention the unappreciated loud bangs and the disturbing (to many) sight of watching any bird shot down.
Moreover it is pertinent to point out that wild birds are nobody’s property.
Considering that ‘hunters’ are not being precluded from peacefully enjoying the countryside, the trill of the kill (apart from being morally wrong), comes nowhere near the thrill that everyone can enjoy in appreciating nature and the countryside peacefully during its best months.
And by the way….birds seek to live, and each life should be duly respected and be treasured more than any (respectfully) egoistic thrill.
The shot of the gun is not the shot of a camera. The term snap shot was originally a hunting term for example. I do not wish to be misinterpreted but the ability to take something from the wild for me is second to none. There are rules and regulations that rightly limit the takings to species which can be harvested and in ways which are legally accepted.
I can`t wait for the next season to open and surely not to take a picture I can download from anywhere.
'.....After all this the final prize is not the half kilo of game meat you can cook ...'
Finally, so just go along do everything you currently do, and shoot as well...with a camera!
i'm sure nobody is afraid to relax in the countryside without his shotgun.
I bet that you will not spend a single afternoon cleaning after picnickers, BBQ's, destructive four-wheel driving, industrial waste, etc. You won't believe me when I say that in the short hours of the night period you may find your area filled up with cement sacks, sofas, iron bars and washing machines. More than that, hunters have to conserve the natural environment after environmental damages such as destroyed rubble walls (known as 'selha'), damaged trees by lightning or strong winds, continuous afforestation, cleaning of natural pools and lots of other jobs. To go hunting is not a wander-around activity but a period of time which needs twice its duration to prepare for.
Those who does not own a land may think it simple and that's why all these misinformation against hunters. Just keep in mind that hunting lasts for only 5 months of the year in which not every hunting area in Malta will be active. Think about all those other birds who aren't huntable species who rest in specific habitats set by hunters and trappers. It's surely for the benefit of our hobbies but please, at least recognise what advantages this is creating for the protection of the Maltese flora and fauna.
Finally you may agree with me that birdwatchers also benefit from hunters initiatives. Just simply observe a photo of Boscetto Gardens and consider the fact that all those trees were planted for past hunting circumstances! Fortunately similar activities are still going on by hunters.
Peter Bartoli,
2/2
Here are SOME of the conditions which you might consider to contribute to the
satisfaction of Maltese hunters. 1. Caring for the Hunting Gounds and
keeping them in their best natural state. This is our foremost part in the
caring of the local environment and nobody on earth can deny this. 2.
Praying for optimal weather conditions (which never seem to come at the
right time except ironically on the 14th of April 2008) in order to have a
plenty passage of migrating birds. 3. Persisting to go out (to hunt)
everyday to increase the chances of obtaining your deserved bag as missing
a day could mean you missed the good one. 4. Waiting impatiently in a
concealed position could be another. If you move or let yourself uncovered
you will not get a chance to shoot for sure. 5. The levels of catches in
Malta are low compared to other countries which brings us to some
beginners economics of supply and demand. I hunted abroad and dove
shooting in prime locations can truly be exhausting ending up with
steaming barrels and bruised shoulders. Fetch a You Tube clip if you
really need to see it. On the other hand in Malta in a good season you
would get a chance of shooting at an average of 15-20 doves. This to
explain to you that the relative satisfactory value of a dove caught here
is much higher than anywhere I know of. This can be asked to any Maltese
hunter who hunted abroad. Dove and Quail spring hunting in Malta is not a
question of numbers. It is a matter of luck, hard work and determination
all consolidated together to produce a feeling I just can`t put into
words. The Maltese word I know for all this is `Namra` (in love) and
believe me it is the first love you will never forget. After all this the
final prize is not the half kilo of game meat you can cook in all the ways
you mentioned. It is not the fact it will be cheaper than buying it as it
surely wont. It is the complete consequence of events that have followed
from before the season started till the end of it.
Peter Bartoli,
1/2
There are cunning ways to point at suspects which leave no
alternative guilty. An opinion is a right of all people as long it is not
a sentence of guilt. You mentioned you find hunting `pointless`. What is
pointless for some may not be the same for other. That is why different
people have different likes and dislikes which is what makes us individual
persons and not clones. You enjoyed hunting octopus which I am not
inclined to but as long as octopus hunters (like you in the past) are not
opposing a threat to the species and not spoiling the fun of octopus
observers it should not find opposition. I would not oppose it. So let us
reflect this onto our case. When taking an octopus from the sea the number
of octopus in the sea is reduced. Same happens when a bird is taken but as
long as this does not pose a threat to the species or spoiling the fun of
bird watchers it should not find anyone opposing it either. Furthermore
the bird has an advantage over the octopus and other fish as there are
various bird sanctuaries and protected areas where hunting should not take
place. Bird watchers are the rule in these areas and that is the way it
should be. I do not recall there are fish sanctuaries and if you know of
any I would be delighted to increase my knowledge about them but even if
there were it would be really pointless at this stage. Every hunt and
hunter needs the right tool for the job. You would not hunt an octopus
with a gun as I would not hunt birds with a harpoon. It`s that simple. You
mentioned some conditions octopus hunters need to overcome in order to
catch your prey and thus contribute to your final satisfaction.
To be continued......
Am I right in thinking that I am not part of the `Consistant Number of Hunters` ? If so it is not me that is not credible but a matter of you being close minded.
Also being YOUR countryside !!
How many hectares of rural land do you own ?
How many times have you went weeding to limit summer fires ?
How many trees did you plant, feed and water in the hot summer months ?
Who is the egoist ?
I am of the idea that you are part of the population that thinks that a steak is born a steak. Try visiting the local abbatoir and open your eyes/mind.
I will take the liberty to answer your question to Paul re who shoots, who takes etc....
There is a code of ethics followed by local hunters who do not have large hunting grounds like the British or other countries.
Hunters who follow this code do as follows.
Shoot when the passing bird is directly on your property.
Where it falls is irrelevant as long as the shot occurred in your area.
If by chance, strong wind or projected flight path the fallen prey falls in your neighbours fields you ask permission to enter (without a loaded gun) and retrieve the bird with no questions asked.
There would be neighbours which choose not to follow this rule and shoot across each others perimeter with no problem and share the cake as you may call it.
Seems like we are on the same line of thought.
However the way I see it is that it is hard to regulate hunting in Malta. Where in the UK hunters walk through forests (private land) and do their bidding, in Malta all they have is a small field. So really it is hard to say that we can compare the reasoning in terms of scope of the hunt.
And because of the people who partake in Illegal Hunting, it seems to me that it is a all or nothing solution. Basically you have it or you do not. Hard pill to swallow I know, but I would say there there is very little middle ground and what has made it so are the people who abuse the system.
I would say that we are punishing the majority for the crimes of the few, however I believe (guess really) that the minority are the innocent and the majority are the hunters who just don't give a damn.
Robert.....
You may have missed that the whole octopus story was very much "tongue in cheek". Although I used to hunt octopus when I was 15 I do not do so any more as I have kids to keep an eye on. Yes, I know there is no "open season" for octopus hunting, and yes, I am pretty sure there is no "Octopus Watch Group". There is no need really, they are not endangered.
The point i was trying to make is that Octopus Hunting is much more justified than Bird Hunting.....in a semi-sarcastic, spell it out, round about (please note the contradictions) kind of way.
Yes, I know that not everyone has the train of thought I have in my little mind and as such I would expect some not to follow the plot.
Further to the point, if you are shooting birds for game that are in abundance.....go ahead, I do not see a problem with that. Honestly. What I do not agree on is the illegal hunting and shooting birds out the sky for just the fun of it.
Paul...another question for you....OK we shot a bird flying over your land.....chances are that it will fall on someone else's land. We all know the plots are small here in comparison to other countries. What do you do? Trespass on someone else's land to get it? Also, who does it belong to, the person who shot it or the person who's land it falls on? "Food" (get it?) for thought.
Thanks for your help.
I am enjoying this civil exchange a lot.
One of the reasons I decided time ago not to hunt anylonger in Malta was because of the limited space and because of the indiscriminate shooting at protected species that was going on. This however doesn't mean that legal sustainable hunting cannot be enjoyed in Malta. Are you also suggesting that hunters in the UK have more rights than hunters in Malta? Shouldn't the law be equal for everyone?
Finally on my own private land within the paramaters set by law, would I be allowed to rear quail and turtle dove for eventual shooting and eating like UK hunters? For the record I own no green areas so this is being hypothetical.
What I am trying to say that hunting on public land should be certainly prohibited but if hunters own or rent private land there should be nothing to prohibit it as long as it is done in a legal way.
Anything more than this is exclusive discrimination to the detriment of Maltese hunters.
I know it is naive of me to assume that all the meat that comes on my plate is humanely killed but I do not disagree in breeding animals for sport. Why? Because there is a justification as yes, they do eat pheasants. Whether the chicken I am having for dinner tonight has been shot or had its neck broken, it died so that my family may eat.
If the person killing the chicken was getting a satisfaction of killing it, to be honest I do not care.
So in answer to your question, if the shooters (I cannot say hunters any more as it is laughable), are shooting for fun & sustenance, then I would say go ahead. If the “Birdies” have a problem with that I would say, go and save the chickens. However……..if the case is that only 1 in every 20 birds that is shot is eaten, then I would say that you’re taking the……
However we digress, we are talking about killing for fun and fun alone. Although I am sure that if you killed enough sparrows you might be able to make a hearty stew, I doubt it is the case.
You are also talking about your land being private etc. It does not give you the right to do what you want on it. Fortunately we are clever enough to change laws when we realise that it might not be working. So when you say promise this and promise that, all I can say is that I am afraid that things change. Normally for the better.
Virtually no one in the EU needs to hunt to survive. Indeed birds are bred (pheasants for example) in the UK to be later shot for sport! Are you saying that this is ok but shooting migrating turtle doves (a species in no risk of extinction) wrong? Turtle doves are considered as game as well and are considered a delicacy amongst hunters.
The issue here is that the Maltese hunters were duped repeatedly by the authorities and this is unacceptable.
Hunting can be sustainable in Malta with the proper restrictions and education. I repeat that I do not hunt in Malta and haven't hunted for more than 6 years. However, if I had to own land suitable for hunting according to our laws, I wouldn't permit the authorities to prohibit me from hunting when they promised, in writing, that I could do just that when it was convenient for them to do so.
Somebody mentioned that hunters occupy public land to the detriment of the public. If this is true it is not acceptable. No hunting should be allowed on public land but there is a lot of countryside in the Maltese islands where the public is not allowed to occupy anyway. There is nothing wrong if hunters occupy this private land, whether theirs or rented to practice their hobby.
What people do not seem to get is that private land is private. Whether it is used for hunting or not.
Last but not least I agree and confirm that shooting illegal species is a heinous and barbaric crime especially raptors and other brids of prey. These have virtually no nutritional value and are just killed for the fun to be often left dying to rot in the field.
This is why the appointment of game keepers is a must. It will be the hunters themselves who ill turn on the illegal hunters as is the case in many a serious country.
Do you know what game hunting is? To put it simply, GAME = FOOD.
These game birds are even bread specially for hunting and EATING. It is like populating a lake with fish so that fishermen can ....... fish. Fish to EAT.
Therefore the hunt is not just hunting for the sake of hunting and killing, but also the end result of sustenance.
if you want to compare, compare fox hunting. Which is now banned. Incidentally, foxes are allowed to be killed by farmers who see them as a pest (Eg: fox in the hen house). Another valid reason.
I think you get the point and no further explanation is needed.
Well at least you agree. There are extremists. Yes, and I agree too, on both sides. And yes, innocent until proven guilty. We can however deduce that if a Birdie, as you call them, is out to stop the fun of the "hunt", again I use the term loosely, of course the prime suspects would be the hunters. Suspect being a person who is innocent, but is suspected of being guilty of the crime at hand. I think it is fair to assume that given the volatile situation. Wouldn't you agree?
Of course there could be a conspiracy that the Birdies did this to themselves to gain sympathy. But do they really need it? I would not put it past people to do such a thing, however in this case I would say it is improbable, in my humble opinion of course.
You should understand that people are against shooting migrating birds out of the sky because they do not agree with it as it is somewhat pointless. It is not a sport, it is not a hunt. Maybe you can explain to all of us here what satisfaction you get by shooting a bird that is passing overhead. Honestly, I would really like to know because I for one, do not understand. For example, I enjoy "hunting" octopus in summer (that is mainly the open hunting season for octopus you see). I do so because they are hard to find (hence the hunt), diving deep under water is challenging, it is cheaper than shopping for octopus and the best part of is is that they make a great pasta sauce, can be fried, grilled, stewed, and more. So as you can see, I get a lot of satisfaction out of it.
Obviously octopus is in abundance so I do not risk killing off the species, and I also have the added benefits that I am not spoiling the fun of octopus watchers worldwide (as far as I know they do not exist). And although my harpoon (foxxna) is intimidating to many people at the beach, I imagine, some of who could even be customs officers, people to not oppose of me on my hunting expeditions.
I look forward to an insight into the satisfaction of "hunting birds" from a real enthusiast. I mean you Fabian. After all you have been "hunting and running around the countryside" since you could count to 10.
Your credibility zero.
Saying I do not have valid points does not imply that you have either.
I hate repeating myself but I will have to imitate Birdies Game (constant repetition ) to get through thicker skulls. The only difference is that Birdies rely on lies and half thruths where as I rely on facts.
UNTIL SOMEONE IS FOUND GUILTY OR RED-HANDED NOBODY CAN POINT FINGERS.
Got it ! We are all human beneath the same sky.
I am willing to concede that some hunters are extremists but Birdies are no less.
The consequence of events and inaccuracies in their presentation all help to install a reasonable doubt. Only closed minds or gullable people, not to mention Birdlife supporters, could be willing to accept what is in fact being reported without thinking intelligently.
Tiny details make a huge difference in uncovering truths (an obviously lies) so anyone questioning me for my declaration of doubts and possibilities behind them should question the source of the information not me. Unless they can prove a fact, this half-truth (ie half lie) should not be used to damage third parties.
Now back to the extremist part.
Some extremists are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice in aid of their cause.
So what, in their view, is a few hundred euros in damage which probably happened to a rented car which is fully insured.
A nice spot on the TOM could cost about Euro 1000 ? (I am not sure but I bet I am close)
So what is best to send a message ?
Pay an advert designer, make a model, approve it, book it for publication, pay the fees and wait for it to come out ?
Or
Smash a wind shield , tear some tyres, throw in a lady on the phone with a clear message on her top, make up a story and have it for free within minutes and on the morning papers.
I am not accusing anyone, to make it clear, but if I have no proof to accuse anyone why should other entities do so ? Just answer that please.
What's ironic is that in the UK one can stalk (follow, shoot and kill) deer and shoot game virtually all year round without hindrance and legally. More irony lies in the fact that in Scotland this generates tourism...
The authorities would do well to stop this farce. Hunting in Malta has to be controlled not eliminated. Introduce serious game keepers who are hunters and enable them to dish out hefty fines. Illegal hunting will be down to trivial in one season flat!
Where are Bird life and other environmental groups when contractors are given licenses to rape huge parts of our limited countryside for their own profit?
Fabian, you wrote about : "injuring of the Booted Eagle, various other RARE birds found wounded or dead, oil thrown at Ghadira Nature Reserve". With that sort of answer I do not expect you to understand this but I will write it anyway: No bird watcher, non-hunter, bird and animal lover, environmentalist (call them what you want) has it in their nature to carry out what you seem to be suggesting. It is actually an insult to even insinuate what you wrote.
I am against any type of violence but even try to make people angry is something to be deplored. By the way....nice photo pose...next time make it a bit more credible...
Hunters, if you see someone in your land call the police immideatly....these provokers must too face the law. Don't fall in there traps
Come on, really, Fabian, you are honestly saying that none of the things you mentioned can be attributed to the "hunters". I use the term "hunter" loosely as what you do is nowhere near the definition of hunting!!!
How can you accuse anyone (in this case Birdlife) of damaging their own property just to make hunters look bad ? You do this to yourselves anyway ... we don't need further incidents to prove this ...
The Government? No
Birdlife? No
EU membership? NO
The EU? NO
The European Court of Justice? NO
Illegal hunters and illegal hunting (that is hunting of protected birds)? A very big YES
I am only sorry for those who always abide to the law! I am sorry for you guys! But you should blame your 'friends'!
pls keep it open for another month
it will keep hunters indoors, logging in and out of their internet connection to click time and again, and increase the multiple votes!
They have hived off the countryside for years - can we get the end of them once and for all - action please.
This is the Times of Malta and we are asking presumably our own countrymen to give an honest unbiased opinion about this National Issue.
Then if you log on to
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1179411
you will find such a comment encouraging foreigners to give a Negative opinion about Spring Hunting from the same country (U.K.) where Bird hunting , in its various forms, is carried out 365 days a year.
I hope that TOM shows this as this is another uncovering of foul play. Here is the message.
Hi All,
I know I asked before the same thing but we cannot let the hunters win on this one, so please just take a minute of your time and vote on this poll at
http://www.timesofmalta.com
You can vote bottom right.
Thanks for your time
Chris
See for yourself on the above website (first one).
Cheers.........Justice Rules as long as it is really fruit of balance.....
Just a small example
Have a look here
http://news.usti.net/home/news/cn/email/?/world.asia.southeast/2/wed/cs/Ayb115360848.RHTK_IF7.html
""A pale-bellied bird species last seen in the 1920s and long thought to be extinct has been rediscovered near Papua New Guinea....Hadoram Shirihai who led an expedition to find the seabird returned with photographs of more than 30 of the birds and a freshly dead specimen found at sea - evidence that has so far convinced several experts.
So nobody has seen this bird since 1920 and lo and behold Mr Shirihai finds A FRESHLY DEAD SPECIMEN....Out of this great big world this bird had to die near Mr Shirihai !!! How that eh ? Seems to me he had a few lessons from Birdlife Malta.
I have Been hunting for over thirty years and with the thousands of hunters and the " millions of birds shot " I have NEVER EVER found a dead bird.
That girl must be grateful to hunters for planting trees and therefore making it easier for her to watch birds. Think about it Ms.AbolishingTotalHunting!!!
We cannot condemn hunters or environmentalists before the culprit is found let alone the girl in the photo who after all we do not even know if she is the owner of the car because as far as I know it is not written anywhere that she is.
Who said I am not condemning the act ?
I would be still wishing the worst of luck to anyone who broke my wind shield.
I was happily reading the posts but yours, coming directly, deserved a reply.
My point is that nobody is guilty until proven so. As someone hinted Birdlife could have been furious at the way the poll was going and came up with a secret weapon once again.
Let me give you a short list of unsolved cases where the general public was hinted (or guided) to blame hunters. To date these cases are still unresolved to the best of my knowledge.
1. Tree cutting near Torri l-Ahmar
2. Injuring of the Booted Eagle
3. Various other RARE birds found wounded or dead
4. Oil thrown at Ghadira Nature Reserve.
5. Acts of Vandalism (like the smashed roadsign you can see on the right of your screen)
6. Hidden weapon (loaded) at Kennedy Grove
7. Burnt Vehicles at Buskett.
8. Broken Wind shields
9. Unreported/Uncaught verbal offenders.
10. Other I cant`t remember
The fact hunters carry a gun already seems to scare those commoners strange to hunting. They assume that even the vision of a gun is a sign of danger. I have experienced this personally when even an unassembled gun being cleared from customs incited fear in the misinformed customs officer.
The reputation Birdlife built about hunters is that they are blood thirsty sons with destructive attitude. A hunter could be the only one who would stop to help a woman to change her punctured tyre while other `gentlemen` would just drive past by her ignoring the need for help.
My point after all this is that nobody can point fingers until the guilty has been found and if Birdies have the attitude of attacking hunters for all the wrong that happens who is holding me from accusing them for it. They know the mentality of people. They know that the fact hunting, in part, involves killing and this can be to their advantage when competing against us to win sympathy.
So who is holding a Birdlife Member from applying for a hunting licence and have the permission to carry a gun and shoot at rare birds in order for them to take pictures. I have been hunting and running around in the countryside since I could count to 10 and any bird which was found after some time would be full of ants, or attacked / eaten by rats or cats. The birds found by birdlife are all in immaculate condition without signs of attacks by saprophytes.
You probably know that the notorious Tree Cutting incident was met with avengence by the general public and thousands of old LIRI were collected. I personally did not donate a cent but simply because the whole story was built around vandals who were said to have been hunters without a single proof. Apart from the fact that I am giving my contribution to the environment in a direct manner.
Vandalism acts can be done by anyone.
Should I be blaming birdlife when I find damage to my infrastructure in my property ?
Should I be blaming birdlife if somebody decides to burn/damage my car ?
Should I be blaming birdlife for any damage to trees and walls in my part of countryside ?
Should I be blaming birdlife when someone steals my crops which I so hardly work my fields for ?
The answer is NO as I did not catch anybody.
I wish like everyone to live in a UTOPIA where bird watchers stick to their reserves to enjoy bird watching. And hunters hunt legally the huntable species and let the rest flying freely.
It could be that the FKNK is too busy appealing for Open Seasons and major threaths to the actual pastime to be able to apply for funds to further educate the hunters but on the other hand Birdlife is out to destroy our cultural hobby and that is something which is surely not helping the situation.
My last hope in this is in Justice as any real unbiased judge who obtains true information will surely make the correct choice and this should favour the truth.
Clearly, it is not the case, although a convincing argument could be made to the contrary. The Maltese Prime Minister at the time guaranteed that spring hunting would go on, and so by virtue of the EU referendum and subsequent electoral results, one could argue that the Maltese citizens did indeed vote to keep spring hunting as is.
Come out of your disguise and stop this hatred on the Maltese hunting community. Stop acting as if you do not want to hear the truth - there is no alternative to Spring hunting.
By the way, the comment about seeing too much birds because of no hunting made me laugh. Should I inform you that enormous migrating bird groups were also seen coming in through our shores and not because we were continuously seeing the same flock of birds avoiding hunters!!!!
There is physical and there is psychological violence. I reiterate my condemnation on whoever does either or both.
One simple question, what proof is there to dump responsibility on the hunters? So if a hunter finds his windscreen smashed or tyres slit, or as in the case of Lino Farrugia whose vehicle was covered in paint remover, can anyone or did anyone effectively point his fingers the birdies way? I think its a highly fallacious line of thought. If its the case, prove it and I'll condemn it unreservedly.
On a different note but directly related to the incident in concern. Just before the publishing of this report, I took a look at the ongoing Times poll and to my surprise, irrespective of the claims and presumptions of so many, the majority were voting in favour of Spring Hunting.
Upon this report, tides changed. Such an unfortunate incident at a most opportune moment. Let's just say that at times fate just plays its hand!
A final spate I would like enlightenment on. Dear L Borg, I have been through but can't find the Spring hunting issue on any of the major political parties' manifesto. Oh yes AD's did portray it but to the best of my knowledge they got such a teenie weenie amount of votes.
Would you be so kind as to enlighten all the readers how you or the majority actually voted against Spring hunting since the issue was never on any of the major parties' political manifesto?
May I also take the opportunity to settle a final score. To my knowledge, one of the premises during the Maltese referendum on accession to the EU was the continuation of Spring hunting for turtle dove and quail. Given that in the referendum the Maltese majority voted in favour of joining the EU, am I right in thus surmising that the majority of the Maltese are actually in favour of Spring Hunting for turle doves and quail?
I am afarid that I do not share your opinion in regards of the electoral results. As far as I know only Alternattiva Demokratika declared that they are against spring hunting and everyone knows how they fared. As for the party in government they never declared that they are against spring hunting. I totally agree with you that the government should not let voters down, and by voters I mean the ones that voted for EU Membership where whoever voted Yes also voted for spring hunting to continue as this was 1 of the special agreements Malta concluded before membership. I also agree with you and anyone else for that matter that violence be it physical or mental should not take place.
Why can't you hunters let us enjoy nature? Why can't you let us enjoy the beautiful melodies these birds sing. Yesterday morning I happened to go for a walk in Bidni area and as we were passing by some fields, we heard shooting. I immediately wanted to call the police, however Thank God, the Police Squad were very near and in less then 30 seconds they were speeding towards the area. I appreciate the work the police is doing but there aren't' enough because In Zonqor Area going on to Xaghjra there were many unseen hunters shooting and killing these beautiful creatures.
I do hope that more serious action is taken by all parties involved and that the Government will take a definite stand in this regard. STOP ALL HUNTING.
Come on, how can you sincerely expect to protect the interest of what you term 'legal hunters' when you fail miserably to condemn such incidents - they are criminal acts - perpetuated by the same people who have shot protected birds time and again.
Before 'legal hunters' failed to report & bring to check criminal hunters - and it is through BirdLife direct intervention - by being there - that hunters have someone observing them that is ready to report those roaming the countryside and ready to use shotguns.
And by the way, I am informed that Fomm ir-Rih is a private area! Birdlife if you want to bird watch go rent and buy fields in the countryside then nobody can bother you! All hunters and trappers pay money to get their land!!
Can you please point out which page in the PN's manifesto this is specified?
As far as I know both parties said that they will DEFEND malta's case and will stick to the ECJ's verdict. The ECJ has not yet spoken.
On the other hand all those who voted YES in the 2003 elections voted FOR SPRING HUNTING on only Turtle Dove and Quail.
Where in the PN (sorry GonziPN) manifest was it written that PN will stop Spring Hunting ??
Were PN Candidates aware of this matter if it existed ? I will not mention names not to prejudice this comment from appearing.
Please enlighten us common mortals.....
You will have no answer so stop inventing rubbish.......
The rat attacks with fury !!
Don't the hunters have a right to be in the countryside even if its without a gun???
You seem to be arguing that they don't!!!!!
I was in the countryside all they yesterday. With my dogs. (No gun)
I'm Sorry - Did I break the law??
I fervently hope whoever performed this criminal act of intimidation and, worse still, the atrocious, obscene attack on the cats gets caught. This act of wanton cruelty to animals has to be thoroughly investigated, and the perpetrators be given the strongest sentence possible.
We voted in the last election knowing that there will be no spring hunting yet hunting is still going on and people are being attacked for watching birds fly freely as they are born to do
Once again the present government should not let the voters down and show Malta who is in command.
The hunters have been patient. They have waited and waited (Some POACHERS MAY HAVE NOT) The authorities seem to be ignoring completely the issue and the story grows.
So at the end of it all - what happens when you corner a rat??? does anyone know?
And besides, what were hunters doing there? As far as I know, the hunting season is still closed. It might not be in future if the ECJ finds in favour of the hunters, but as of now spring hunting IS ILLEGAL.
I urge all hunters to try to keep calm and not allow certain people to provoke them in any way.Violence and aggression will lead to more confrontation.
STOP ILLEGAL SPRING HUNTING....the majority of the Maltese population supports that! The minority, the so called hunters have no right into bullying.
They know the hunters are in a not-so-good state, they know that tensions are running high, so why are they throwing petrol into the fire?
One last thing. Can all judges, juries and executioners on this website stop blaming the hunters for this incident without any concrete evidence?
Could this be an old boyfriend who a girl left without justification and he has been chasing her ever since and the right occasion cropped up now ?
Mr Borda, it is quite simple -if hunting is being carried out by many hunters when the season has not yet been declared officially open, then yes at the moment it is illegal.
I would also like to say that the majority of these so called birdwatchers don't make a difference between a sparrow and a harrier..... sorry they might spot the difference in size!