`Biggest massacre` of protected birds this year

Hundreds of hunters took part in the wholesale slaughter of protected honey buzzards on Wednesday afternoon in what BirdLife yesterday described as the year`s biggest bird massacre.

The police said 11 shotguns had been confiscated from persons shooting at protected birds in Malta and Gozo on Wednesday, and a number of hunters would be charged in the coming days.

Five honey buzzards were also seized by the police in hectic patrols, police sources said.

This was the second protest made by BirdLife over the large-scale illegal shooting of birds in the space of four days, but Wednesday`s slaughter even disgruntled the genuine hunters, the organisation`s president Joseph Mangion claimed.

BirdLife said that hundreds of honey buzzards were gunned down in different areas on Malta and Gozo in an "afternoon of shame".

Reports were made to Birdlife of incessant shooting at areas like Zabbar, Birzebbuga, Mizieb, San Gwann, Victoria, Ramla Bay, Delimara, Nadur, Qala and the worst at Tal-Handaq.

"The barbaric acts taking place on Wednesday by hunters and witnessed by several BirdLife and Nature Trust members both in Malta and Gozo is proof that the majority of hunters are unwilling to respect the current regulations," BirdLife charged in a strongly worded statement.

Mr Mangion said one of the biggest ever migrations of honey buzzards took place over the islands on Wednesday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m., especially on the south and east coasts.

"But what should have been a spectacle of nature turned soon enough into carnage as hunters all over the country began shooting at the raptors.

"Everywhere in the countryside there were scenes of dying birds falling in public roads and other cases of maimed birds of prey being bludgeoned by several hunters."

The honey buzzard is a bird of prey facing serious decline in its natural habitat.

Upon seeing the migration, Mr Mangion personally went to police headquarters to urge the Administrative Law Enforcement unit to act on the matter.

The police immediately started patrolling the areas, though it was evident that they could do little to curtail the hundreds of hunters, Mr Mangion said.

BirdLife stressed that birds of prey have been protected under Maltese law since 1980, yet their killing continues by hunters who have always falsely given the impression that they are out hunting for game birds.

It was scandalous to see that areas run by official hunting organisations had allowed hunters to kill protected birds, BirdLife said.

Politicians from both sides of the divide have been petrified to enforce the laws, because they have been held to ransom by hunters, BirdLife said. But the situation was changing as the people were fed up with this situation, Mr Mangion reiterated his call for realistic enforcement and, if necessary, the overall ban of hunting in certain periods.

BirdLife appealed to the public to voice their concern in the face of such massacres by reporting all cases of illegal hunting, writing to the press, and protesting to MPs in their constituency.

A police source who was on the beat described the situation on Wednesday as "chaotic".

"Three large flocks with about 300 honey buzzards in each were seen in the afternoon. The flocks started breaking up into smaller flocks and dispersing as they tried to find a place to land. But shots were ringing out from everywhere. Birds were tumbling down from the sky. It was surreal," he said.

"The shooting was so widespread that the police did not know from where to start. Besides, police cars are marked and seen from a distance.

"Hunters flee at the sight of the police cars or uniformed police, or dump protected birds they have in their possession before police catch up with them."

Still, the police managed to apprehend a few hunters in possession of freshly killed honey buzzards. Others were booked after they were noted shooting at birds of prey. Some were seen shooting at honey buzzards from every imaginable place, the police source said.

BirdLife also sent the media some of the e-mailed reports it received.

One person reported: "Driving through Tal-Barrani I saw several honey buzzards and kestrels. In Birzebbuga I counted five marsh harriers and over 200 honey buzzards, half of which were visibly injured. Some time later, about 46 were seen being shot dead."

A hunter was even compelled to call The Times newsroom yesterday morning saying he was ashamed to be a hunter.

"I was near Gudja and I could see a beautiful display of honey buzzards, possibly in their hundreds. But soon after, I could hear the sound of gunfire rattling from north to south, from east to west. Sadly there are too many out there who give us genuine hunters a bad name," he said.

In a statement, Nature Trust strongly condemned the slaughter of the protected birds.

The NGO received several reports from the public that many protected birds, especially birds of prey, were being massacred across the islands with special reference to Tal-Handaq and Buskett area.

"The situation witnessed over the last few days is a total disgrace for Malta."

Nature Trust urged the Home Affairs Ministry to take immediate action to investigate these incidents and to take steps to prepare the police to cater for such incidents.

"The NGO also urges the political parties to show that they truly have the environment at heart and act together on this issue rather then hide behind excuses in a vote catching exercise."

The honey buzzard is a large bird of prey reaching almost 60 centimetres in length with a wingspan of 130 centimetres. They are known to sleep in large trees as well as on medium-sized bushes, on the ground and on cliff faces during migration in Malta.

In separate cases, seven persons were yesterday fined Lm580 between them for breaching hunting regulations this year.

One of them was fined Lm200 after he was found guilty of shooting at a protected bird. The shotgun was, however, not confiscated.