I read, with interest, the ‘Briefs’ on February 22 about the hunters’ intention, in collaboration with Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri, to resuscitate the barn owl.

However I give up even dreaming that their attempt, good as it may be, will ever come true, without at least knowing the genetics of the breed.

To make matters worse the population of the breed is by far healthy, knowing that their gene pool is so poor that calling it a gene pond would suit it better.

About four years ago, another attempt was made by the same people together with the assistance of vet Martin Debattista, to enliven the Tal-Kaċċa breed.

I had predicted that it would be another failure since you can never succeed in accomplishing the desired results in an issue similar to that of the barn owl.

Why not, instead, attempt to save the Pharaoh hound (Tal-Fenek)?

The difficulties are similar to the others but the government can import the Pharaoh hound from overseas, where they care very much about the breed thus injecting new blood, so badly in need.

After all, the Tal-Fenek is supposed to be Malta’s national dog.