This is just awful. To think they just leave the bird there on the ground where it fell. Although with the recent persecution of Raptors up in Scotland I can't say us Brits are much better. Thank you Chris for bringing this sickening truth to light.
It’s generally only gamekeepers who persecute raptors and the majority of brits are against it anyway. Songbird hunting in Malta and Cyprus however gets lots of support from many local MP’s as well as some members of the public
Least people can do is make it clear to Malta's tourism board that they wont be visiting malta because of this issue... Good on Chris and a number of others for doing this though!
Already written to them, Lynx, and their new PM, Received a standard acknowledgement from them, nothing from the PM. They either don't understand, or don't care. The Maltese people have asked for a referendum, so some of them do care.
If enough people want it, we can stop this and not just in Malta..Let your voice be heard and write to your MPs, spread the word, donate if you can. We have to make the world a better place for wildlife, not just for other species but for human kinds sake
Hi Chris and Colleagues, I want to support you to get your films to a mass audience. I have already followed the actions on your website and will be registering a protest with the Maltese Ambassador tomorrow . What more can I do? You may remember that 3 years ago we had an Oriental Turtle Dove in our garden in Chipping Norton and raised £3,000 from visiting birders for Bird Life Malta which we presented at RSPB HQ. Wishing you all the strength to get through this week and maintain the campaign. Steve Akers, Chipping Norton, Oxon, UK
I like the "drivers" reference.. I moved here a year ago and it's more like "there is..10 drivers.. and 9 of them are going over a red light".. so the hunter / driver comparison is quite accurate actually...
Well done Chris and team for bringing this yearly massacre to the British public's attention. This terrible waste of bird life for no reason than macho pride has to stop. Everyone please share these blogs, write to your MEP , and lets put public pressure onto Malta to make them comply to European law.
Would be better if first YOU know your facts right ! Spring hunting in Malta is allowed because of a decision by the European Court of Justice, which declared that spring hunting could take place under stringent conditions because there was no other alternative solution, because the number of turtle doves and quail shot in autumn was "very small", so hunters had to have an alternative.
Well done to Chris and his small team bringing this despicable "sport" to our attention. I must say, I find some comfort in the fact that a great many of the Maltese people are against this outrage. I for one will be contacting my MEP.
Why, oh why does this still go on in the 21st century, but does this not also happen in parts of Spain, France, Italy and other Mediterranean islands? Nowadays the only hunting that should be done, is with the aid of a camera....and you can confirm your 'kill' with a beautiful picture....
Chris has certainly got a lot of his facts right. I have seen and experienced many of the things he talks about - abuse from hunters, rotting fish left at watch points, punctures and lead showers. Also positive responses from most of the police.
I was referring to your comments regarding Chris not doing anything about the persecution of Scottish raptors.i do know exactly why Malta is allowed to carry on spring hunting but it doesn't mean it's right. Unfortunately it's not just quail and turtle doves that are shot,many rare and protected species are also killed as witnessed by friends who monitor in Malta. As conservationists and lovers of wildlife it is our right to speak out about persecution wherever it happens in the world and get it stopped, whether it be in the uk or anywhere else.
I've been to Malta to join the Birdlife team for the past four autumns where the situation is similar, although it's the post-breeding birds and youngsters that are hit then rather than the adults that are making their way to Europe to produce another generation. I've seen birds shot down illegally and some with shattered feathers; it's not a pretty sight. Well done to Chris and team for ramping up the issue; perhaps the government will find itself having to fall in with public opinion. British MEPs are doing their best to keep up the pressure. Sorry I couldn't be there this Spring.
I am delighted that Chris Packham and his team are highlighting this murderous legacy. Perhaps other European countries should consider boycotting Malta as a holiday destination.
why he didn't went to spain to stop their called sports there, i'm talking about the bull fighting cause that is a real cruel thing to do,torturing a bull. or fox hunting in UK, why it is still practicable even today and even prince charles likes to go.and maybe you can ban all restaurants cause they cook meat, all meat comes from animals. some people are so pathetic
J Sin .....beacause Chris Packham is an ornithologist. His main focus in life is on birds. Why would he go off to Spain to protest bullfighting which is a well known phenomenon and well protested already, when he can go to somewhere like Malta which has a serious but obscure problem concerning his very area of study and directly affects his interests - European birds. Geez. Think about what you comment... And you really must educate yourself and sit and have a think before pulling the foxhunting jibe out of the bag. FGS.
J Sin I really don't get why you sit and condemn fox hunting, yet openly support the slaughter of birds around the Mediterranean....it is a mystery. You sit and echo the arguments of all Maltese hunters when cornered and fail to realise just how daft you all sound. Foxes are not an endangered species. There are plenty of them in our countryside and have no natural predators anymore. Therefore a controlled method of fox hunting is absolutely fine. It is really completely irrelevant.
Well done Chris the hunters must be stopped. Meanwhile I keep telling friends,relatives,work colleagues about this vile, disgusting practice and hopefully ultimately they won't go there on holiday. I personally wouldn't go there if I was paid to do so.
thank you chris but i would like to point out that not all maltese shoot and trap birds. I'm maltese and i love watching birds migrating in spring and autumn. But you are completely right about those who are hunters and trappers
"Afraid of us" - that s very sarcastic Mr.Sultana. Just in case you forgot, there was a sentence from EU COURT OF JUSTICE. Let me share it here, for you & all to see: Spring hunting in Malta is allowed because of a decision by the European Court of Justice, which declared that spring hunting could take place under stringent conditions because there was no other alternative solution, because the number of turtle doves and quail shot in autumn was "very small", so hunters had to have an alternative. Now that s what i call JUSTICE !
mosti77D the key part of your argument here is "under stringent conditions". It is a shame that the derogation from the EU Birds Directive for hunting is allowed at all - but given that it is; as the work Birdlife Malta has been doing for many years has shown, a number of hunters do not restrict themselves to target species, and do not adhere to these "under stringent conditions".
I agree any illegal hunting or unregulated or poorly regulated hunting is a travesty. But if you think people should not be allowed to hunt because you personally don't care for it? Be careful because your hobby might be next .
I watched all 3 videos and I'm still not exactly clear on what the exact issue is. 1) Is it the ILLEGAL hunting of birds which are protected, or 2) the ILLEGAL hunting of birds in general outside of the legal hunting season. Or 3) that birds are being hunted during spring time which is their mating season? 4) Is it all three? Or 5) Does he have an issue with the hunting of birds period? From the introduction I gather Nr.4 is what is being criticised, but during the videos he frequently focuses on the illegal shooting of protected birds. And also mentions spring time a few times. Now obviously shooting protected birds is a problem, which even seems to annoy some hunters, and the police seem to be trying to do something about it. Hunting outside season is also illegal and hence reprehensible. Shooting birds during spring may be bad practice but is it illegal in Malta? My criticism regarding the program is that besides it not being very clear, it is also overly emotional, unnecessarily using emotive language. Also he does not say anything about Maltan hunting laws, or investigate why the hunters are actually hunting the birds? Is it for trophy's, sport, or do they actually eat some of the birds? From what I saw I doubt the later is the case.
The first video does come across as overly emotional, but it's not disingenuous, this is a from a guy who has devoted his life to wildlife. Of course he has an issue with the hunting of all birds! So do I and so would any decent person. The first issue is the fact that spring hunting should be banned as it is everywhere else in europe, but not in Malta (yet). Then there is the general problem of hunters who hunt out of season, of which there are many. But mainly I think the issue is the blurred lines between 'legal' hunting (5,000 quail and 11,000 turtle doves per year) and 'illegal' hunting which is totally indiscriminate. It is clear that many hunters use the cover of spring hunting to hunt rare migratory birds for trophies. Yes it is purely for 'sport'. I doubt any of the 12 eagles that were shot down last year ended up on anybody's dinner plate. The ones who say they are against it, I tend not to believe all of them... I have lived here for 3 years now and I have experienced the deceptive tactics that some of the Maltese people will deploy in order to get away with things they know are wrong. Basically they like to add confusion into an argument, then try to change the subject and deflect the issue elsewhere, thus leaving the original question unanswered. So for some of the hunters who say they are annoyed by the 'illegal' hunting, it seems likely to me that they are just pretending and trying to divert attention away from themselves. The Maltese are mostly genuine and welcoming, but they are not stupid or innocent either, they have a tough history and have become expert negotiators / manipulators. Sometimes it is hard to figure out where the truth really lies in any particular argument. The hunters are all out there killing birds together, so it's impossible to distinguish between them, and why should we anyway? Another issue is general apathy from the government and the police in fighting against such a widespread problem. Due to the large numbers of hunters, neither political party will crack down fully in fear of losing votes. Then there is the fact that some police themselves are in fact hunters, so they are not going to be so interested in catching the offenders. As we saw, that one policeman was more interested in arresting the cameraman who was reporting on the situation! Due to being a small island, there is a tendency for people not to want to rock the boat in fear of repercussions, I guess this is how the issue got so out of control, but hopefully thanks to documentaries like this one, this is the beginning of a change.
The above is the answer from a foreigner living in Malta for only 3 years. The following is an answer from me, a 37 year old Maltese hunter (since 21yrs old). 1) The main issue is to stop spring hunting - during which 2 species (turtle dove & quail) could be hunted during a limited season of two weeks where hunting is allowed until 14:00 during week days and until 12:00 on Weekends and Public Holidays. Each hunter is allowed a MAX bag limit of 2 + 2 birds during the whole two week season. Malta, is the only state allowed this through a derogation that has to be applied for each year. This is possible after a decision taken in the EU COURT OF JUSTICE as the other alternative (Autumn) the numbers of these two species are not enough. 2) As you already noticed, the issue of shooting of protected birds, which irritates most genuine hunters, is mostly highlighted in each video. Therefore they are misguiding people, by making everyone pity every bird shot - whether legal game or illegal protected birds. Unfortunately, like in every other country, including UK + Germany , illegalities do occur. But these are minimal, and definitely not in MILLIONS as they claim. These are also fined heavily, with a Max €5000 fine + Max 1 year jail + Confiscation of hunting license for LIFE for a FIRST TIME OFFENDER! But like in every other sector,you will always find who abuse. This does not mean that you can put everyone in the same basket. 3) The game birds, legally hunted during this spring season are consumed. It is a tradition which has been going on for ages. It s not easy to catch as it sounds. 4) In reference to what wailer27 claimed, that "the police are more interested in arresting the people reporting on the situation" I would refer you to these links: www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140402/local/hunters-fined-total-of-10000-for-shooting-protected-bird.513297 www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140417/local/15-hunting-offences-recorded-since-saturday-government.515415
Just because the law is in place, doesn't mean it is followed. I do try to look at both sides though. Agreed, I shouldn't have said hunting is always just a cruel sport. For the birds which are consumed it would be hypocritical for a meat eater to say that is wrong. But to say the killing of rare birds is being exaggerated is just deception as proved in the next videos in the series. Everybody sees through that. If 'genuine' hunters are so outraged by it, you are the ones who need to help put an end to it... you need to create a culture within the FKNK where these trophy hunters are ostracised and you need to help the authorities catch them. Otherwise, the only solution is that there is a general crack down on all hunting activity and you all suffer. How badly do you want to hold on to your tradition because it looks to me like there is a change in the air. I don't know why there is a culture where foreigners are not allowed to comment on anything in Malta. I am free to give my opinion. Barranin għandhom leħen ukoll.
wailer27 Let me start with your last paragraph....I never said that you should not comment. Next is a question - Why should I do a police job if I am not a policeman? The police are out there, this time even in larger numbers, so I prefer to let them do their job. And regarding the exaggerations....of course that every incident is inflated. I continue to say that things changed a lot and to my knowledge, if out of 10,000 hunters only 6 incidents were reported that is really low. If you want, let me give you the benefit of the doubt and multiply 6 incidents x 100 times = 600 incidents. (Kindly remember that the Vet gave an estimate of 100-110 incidents per year) Aren't 600 incidents a mere low of 6%??
mosti77D This is maths you plucked out of thin air. 10,000 is a massive number for a small island. It's the total numbers of offences that count, not percentages. This argument just got unproductive. I said what I had to say. Yeah foreigners are allowed to comment, but the comments are always worth less than when made by locals.... then when 2 locals start a debate they just shout over each other and no real progress is made, e.g. Xarabank last night! I know that's a generalisation. You do seem like a genuine person but obviously you would be biased towards pro hunting and myself vice versa.
Of Malta's 1.5 million visitors every year, 450,000 are from the UK. If the Maltese authorities are not effective at clamping down on illegal hunting, a travel boycott from UK tourists is one option. However, I would very much like us to get our own house in order with respect to illegal raptor persecution first.
When I listen to that gentle man Jo I hear of a past when the killing was for food now it appears to be a mindless indiscriminate barbaric onslaught on the defenceless on a scale that's just ridiculous ! must be awful seeing this at first hand
Thank you for your offer but you may not be surprised that I do not eat wild birds . I do not agree with their killing in UK or anywhere in the world . This is not an anti Malta campaign ,I have Maltese friends, who are as shocked as me ...... Soon there will be no birds to shoot as they have no chance to breed .
@ Simon Learner: Most probably you missed my last sentence. I also agree that what happens in UK does not justify what happens here. BUT, UK is nearly 800 times bigger than our islands(Malta only 316 Kmsq); so that s one reason why we only hear about just a fraction of what happens in UK.
I agree with the fact there are responsible hunters who obey the law, but I do assure you that in the UK there is not the same attitude to hunting small wild birds and it would be an exception rather than the rule if that occurred.
Simon Learner Isn t a turtle dove the same size as a wood pigeon ? (more or less). Oh but you consider that as a pest , so you can still kill it in spring.
mosti77D Turtle Doves are increasingly rare across Europe and is almost extinct as a breeding species in the UK. Wood-pigeons can be shot by farmers as it is seen as an agricultural pest and as a food source; but not on public land and they are also common across the whole of the United Kingdom, so you are not comparing like with like.
There is absolutely NO comparison between farmers culling occasional wood pigeons (which are actually pretty much twice the size of a turtle dove), and thousands of hunters slaughtering thousands of endangered birds, apparently for fun. It's just mindless stupidity. I can think of loads better places to go for a holiday, and I will.
If you go out to the countryside, be careful not to trip over some bird traps or robin bait cage as there are plenty... it is just sad over here... The EU needs to put more pressure.. some people are still living in the past... =/
They are all so beautiful as are all.species.ànd.animals. I.wish all this cruelty will be stopped as homosapiens need to.develop and change and start respecting all. creatures..
You can help - we all can - donate to the Birdlife Malta team and email: your MEP, the Maltese MEP's the Maltese Minister for the environment and the EU Environment minister - Janez Potocnik. And keep writing. Let Malta know the world is shocked and let them know that your money will not be spent on Maltese holidays - there are a lot more than 10,000 tourists visit Malta, and they spend a lot more than hunters do. Lets see how important that revenue stream is to the Maltese government.
Driving animals to extinction is one of humanity's great evils. We must put pressure on those elements of the Maltese population and government who allow indiscriminate slaughter of birds to continue. EU, use your muscle.
Mr.Packman, here we're talking about spring hunting! Your clip didn't even highlight what the legal parameters & quarries of the maltese spring hunting season are, which is very misleading. I fully condemn illegal hunting but this has nothing to do with the maltese spring hunting season. You are more than aware that such illegalities happen in malta not only during spring, and in every part of the world 365 days a year. No need to act surprised about this! It would be more scientifically useful if you had to document the number of quarry shot (turtle doves & quail) as this would help quench the very false picture that people like the BLM ilk painted which runs into millions, when in fact its MUCH LESS. And if you can keep sensationalism out of the clip it would be more professional .. will you start crying and faint the next time you see a dead bird?
10 ปีที่แล้ว
#_OVB #Lazar #Lezer Janos #Malta n nem csak bankolt?
4 birds per season.. Massacre. Haha Chris, if one person commits a crime everyone else must be a criminal? Come on mate are you trying to stop spring hunting for the birds? Or just to make a name for yourself?
Mr.Packham, don t you think that what is good for the goose is good for the gander! Don t you have any irresponsible people in UK who also break the law? Just in case you forgot, have a look here: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/09/record-reward-conviction-raptor-deaths-19-scotland Like it was very well argued from the hunter you interviewed , you can t put every hunter in the same basket.
I would suggest that you get your fact right before you complain. If you followed Chris at all you would know that he has been actively campaigning against the persecution of raptors in Scotland, he regularly retweets Scottish Raptor Persecution Tweets, and has been leading the calls to get the person responsible for the massacre in Scotland to be prosecuted. Chris has gone to Malta, because he has got fed up of trying to get conservation organisational and TV stations to report what is going on over there , and to support the volunteers who have been monitoring this yearly massacre for too long. Hopefully his presence may finally help to bring pressure on Malta.
redkitewatcher None of my facts were wrong. And your last sentence says it all ! Why do we need someone(especially foreigners) to "bring pressure on Malta"? I don't think that your country would accept any kind of pressure whatever the subject may be. As I already said, you can t put everyone in the same basket. Also, I suggest you read the comments by Mr.Natalino Fenech in this link: www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/20/conservationists-marksmen-malta-bir d-hunt?CMP=twt_fd Finally, I refer you to my other comments .
I was in Gozo in April on my last day of going bird & butterfly watching fantastic all the wild flowers where I found hundreds of wild birds manly turtle doves in a huge yard loads of cages full of birds in broke in and tried 2 release them with no success with out tools 2 free them in had know chance it was obvious know 1 went the much just 2 feed the poor things they had captured next 2 the cadges was a barbecue with bones & feathers where it looked like every now and then theyed eat there catches in front of what ever was in the cadges had 2 leave 2 catch my flight with a lump in my throat as I was unable 2 help I know where this depo is next spring i will be going back with the write tools if any 1 would like 2 come with me not just 2 realise thoughs though so birds in that depo but any I can find / Grovesy
Good if it annoys you and your silly bird murdering cronies ,you are one of them from Malta ,You are not from the uk as you try to lie and say ! It is showing the world now how pathetic and nasty you are ! The rest of the world is annoyed and angered with you lot ...shooting rare birds is despicable !
Rosemarie Weidmann you don't eat meat? or only about birds you are concerned? i'm not a vegetarian. and what spain do is not cruelty for you? torturing bulls for pleasure. that is what i call pathetic. and yes i am a proud maltese
Since you are mentioning Spain ,yes Bull fighting is a cruel way to kill a Bull so slowly there are people that have been campaigning against it for years ,, and you can stop now with that daft comment about eating meat as the birds that your so called spring hunters kill are not being shot for meat or anything other than the sick enjoyment of hitting a target that moves ! Swifts ,Little Egret, Cuckoo and many other tiny things they are not big enough to pretend that you are killing for meat and they are protected species ,Those shooting birds stop other people going out to go camping or walking public land like they own it when they don't ! 65% of Maltese people do not want this loopy so called sport so anyone shooting birds trying to get to a breeding ground needs to be fined, gun confiscated and perhaps for shame posters with their face put up with what they have done written ! Hunters ,,rubbish no hunting out their prey happens they just see a bird fly and shoot from a static hide !
hunting is everywhere why you pretend that only us maltese to stop going to hunt? you think cause since we live on a tiny island we give up quickly? how wrong you are we may be small in population but our hearts are so big that you cant imagine how. so killing a bear or a dear is ok for you? or perhaps cause we dont have those animals here you are not complaining? people voted for spring hunting already if you don't know in our elections with a majority of 36000 cause it was written black on white, so stop putting your ass in our business
It bothers me, Chris, that we need to differentiate between controlled hunting of birds which, as species, are under no threat, and the shooting of songbirds. The shooting clan has plenty of black marks against it, including the disgraceful killing of raptors, but it is nonetheless true that shooting maintains ground cover and habitat which is of great benefit to all birds, not just the shooters' quarry. This is not relevant in the example of the Maltese shooters, of course, but please reassure me that you will keep a balanced view of shooting.
What massacre are you talking about you have shown only 2 birds dead .... your aim is to stop this tradition you should go to your country minding your own business shame on you
Thanks Chris (and crew) for having some ***** to stand up and bring this appaulling situation to an end
This is just awful. To think they just leave the bird there on the ground where it fell. Although with the recent persecution of Raptors up in Scotland I can't say us Brits are much better. Thank you Chris for bringing this sickening truth to light.
It’s generally only gamekeepers who persecute raptors and the majority of brits are against it anyway. Songbird hunting in Malta and Cyprus however gets lots of support from many local MP’s as well as some members of the public
Least people can do is make it clear to Malta's tourism board that they wont be visiting malta because of this issue... Good on Chris and a number of others for doing this though!
Already written to them, Lynx, and their new PM, Received a standard acknowledgement from them, nothing from the PM. They either don't understand, or don't care. The Maltese people have asked for a referendum, so some of them do care.
Well done Chris and team. Let's do all we can to stop this awful slaughter.
Lead us, Chris Packham.
This deserves way more views, hopefully the situation is better now.
This is appalling! Well done Chris Packham for highlighting this. The shooting must stop!!
Let's hope public pressure helps stop this, well done Chris Packham for getting out there and reporting about it
Thank you Chris Packham for highlighting this shameful practice
If enough people want it, we can stop this and not just in Malta..Let your voice be heard and write to your MPs, spread the word, donate if you can. We have to make the world a better place for wildlife, not just for other species but for human kinds sake
Hi Chris and Colleagues, I want to support you to get your films to a mass audience. I have already followed the actions on your website and will be registering a protest with the Maltese Ambassador tomorrow . What more can I do? You may remember that 3 years ago we had an Oriental Turtle Dove in our garden in Chipping Norton and raised £3,000 from visiting birders for Bird Life Malta which we presented at RSPB HQ. Wishing you all the strength to get through this week and maintain the campaign. Steve Akers, Chipping Norton, Oxon, UK
I like the "drivers" reference.. I moved here a year ago and it's more like "there is..10 drivers.. and 9 of them are going over a red light".. so the hunter / driver comparison is quite accurate actually...
...and to extend the analogy, the 9 out of 10 drivers will never get caught and/or prosecuted, because the police ignore red-light jumping...
Well done Chris and team for bringing this yearly massacre to the British public's attention. This terrible waste of bird life for no reason than macho pride has to stop. Everyone please share these blogs, write to your MEP , and lets put public pressure onto Malta to make them comply to European law.
Would be better if first YOU know your facts right !
Spring hunting in Malta is allowed because of a decision by the European Court of Justice, which declared that spring hunting could take place under stringent conditions because there was no other alternative solution, because the number of turtle doves and quail shot in autumn was "very small", so hunters had to have an alternative.
Well done to Chris and his small team bringing this despicable "sport" to our attention. I must say, I find some comfort in the fact that a great many of the Maltese people are against this outrage. I for one will be contacting my MEP.
supporting you guys all the wayy
Good work Chris
Thanks for covering this.
Why, oh why does this still go on in the 21st century, but does this not also happen in parts of Spain, France, Italy and other Mediterranean islands?
Nowadays the only hunting that should be done, is with the aid of a camera....and you can confirm your 'kill' with a beautiful picture....
Great video Chris. its a real shame on such a beautiful Island that I never see birds.
Have written to all NE MEPs, and made donation. What else can we do to stop this vile activity. I will never visit Malta again until this stops.
want to give a thumbs up..but it's not working..will try again..Thanks for this Chris x
he i also alread ymade a short video about it when i was there,love your work here!
'Why take lives, why not take photographs' That is the way!:)
Chris has certainly got a lot of his facts right. I have seen and experienced many of the things he talks about - abuse from hunters, rotting fish left at watch points, punctures and lead showers. Also positive responses from most of the police.
I was referring to your comments regarding Chris not doing anything about the persecution of Scottish raptors.i do know exactly why Malta is allowed to carry on spring hunting but it doesn't mean it's right. Unfortunately it's not just quail and turtle doves that are shot,many rare and protected species are also killed as witnessed by friends who monitor in Malta. As conservationists and lovers of wildlife it is our right to speak out about persecution wherever it happens in the world and get it stopped, whether it be in the uk or anywhere else.
Well done for uncovering this disgusting practice. Was actually thinking of going to Malta aswell, not now after i have seen this!
Well done Chris Packem : Well done maltease Falcon: Lovers from Buttercup
Far from boycotting Malta, maybe bird lovers should congregate in these areas next year and hold a bird-scarer convention.
Do the maltese a favor and dont step on malta again
Will be following you this week and beyond. I'm sharing this to my FB friends. Would like to hear some of the shocking stats on a later blog. Thanks
Keep up the great work Chris, I only wish I could help. This is so, so tragic.
You can help , email your MEP, share this post, help build public pressure to make this stop
redkitewatcher But first you have to find out who your MEP is!
Very easy to do Bob you just type in an Internet search for who is my MEP put in your postcode and it brings it up
Outside Central Yes I eventually found it and wrote to two of our beloved MEPs.
I've been to Malta to join the Birdlife team for the past four autumns where the situation is similar, although it's the post-breeding birds and youngsters that are hit then rather than the adults that are making their way to Europe to produce another generation. I've seen birds shot down illegally and some with shattered feathers; it's not a pretty sight. Well done to Chris and team for ramping up the issue; perhaps the government will find itself having to fall in with public opinion. British MEPs are doing their best to keep up the pressure. Sorry I couldn't be there this Spring.
Depressing.Keep up the good work Sir.
I am delighted that Chris Packham and his team are highlighting this murderous legacy. Perhaps other European countries should consider boycotting Malta as a holiday destination.
Chris Nastri
stop pretending you are from the UK Chris. Not many people here are called Nastri. Or should it be Mr. Nasty...
why he didn't went to spain to stop their called sports there, i'm talking about the bull fighting cause that is a real cruel thing to do,torturing a bull. or fox hunting in UK, why it is still practicable even today and even prince charles likes to go.and maybe you can ban all restaurants cause they cook meat, all meat comes from animals. some people are so pathetic
J Sin
.....beacause Chris Packham is an ornithologist. His main focus in life is on birds. Why would he go off to Spain to protest bullfighting which is a well known phenomenon and well protested already, when he can go to somewhere like Malta which has a serious but obscure problem concerning his very area of study and directly affects his interests - European birds. Geez. Think about what you comment...
And you really must educate yourself and sit and have a think before pulling the foxhunting jibe out of the bag. FGS.
of course cause fox hunting is something you don't like to read about. or perhaps cause the royals use to do it and for you lot they are above any law
J Sin
I really don't get why you sit and condemn fox hunting, yet openly support the slaughter of birds around the Mediterranean....it is a mystery. You sit and echo the arguments of all Maltese hunters when cornered and fail to realise just how daft you all sound.
Foxes are not an endangered species. There are plenty of them in our countryside and have no natural predators anymore. Therefore a controlled method of fox hunting is absolutely fine. It is really completely irrelevant.
we need to do something now or the future of birds wont be good !
Well done Chris the hunters must be stopped. Meanwhile I keep telling friends,relatives,work colleagues about this vile, disgusting practice and hopefully ultimately they won't go there on holiday. I personally wouldn't go there if I was paid to do so.
Shooting for fun.......if you haven't got a real reason to shoot don't shoot at all.
thank you chris but i would like to point out that not all maltese shoot and trap birds. I'm maltese and i love watching birds migrating in spring and autumn. But you are completely right about those who are hunters and trappers
I blame the EU .Why the EU fail to stop the Spring hunting and the birds killing in Malta ? Are they afraid from us ?
"Afraid of us" - that s very sarcastic Mr.Sultana. Just in case you forgot, there was a sentence from EU COURT OF JUSTICE. Let me share it here, for you & all to see:
Spring hunting in Malta is allowed because of a decision by the European Court of Justice, which declared that spring hunting could take place under stringent conditions because there was no other alternative solution, because the number of turtle doves and quail shot in autumn was "very small", so hunters had to have an alternative.
Now that s what i call JUSTICE !
mosti77D
What a waste of space, you have no interest in the world or it's creatures.
mosti77D the key part of your argument here is "under stringent conditions". It is a shame that the derogation from the EU Birds Directive for hunting is allowed at all - but given that it is; as the work Birdlife Malta has been doing for many years has shown, a number of hunters do not restrict themselves to target species, and do not adhere to these "under stringent conditions".
I agree any illegal hunting or unregulated or poorly regulated hunting is a travesty. But if you think people should not be allowed to hunt because you personally don't care for it? Be careful because your hobby might be next .
Barbarism will never be stopped while ignorance still exist.
Why not do a clip on Fox Hunting???? Foreigner tell us what to do. You dont deserve to wear that shirt either
its an entirely different matter so shut up and watch thee god damm video
Well said...trying to change a tradition that has been in place for decades! Another reason to dump the EU
very sad.
I watched all 3 videos and I'm still not exactly clear on what the exact issue is. 1) Is it the ILLEGAL hunting of birds which are protected, or 2) the ILLEGAL hunting of birds in general outside of the legal hunting season. Or 3) that birds are being hunted during spring time which is their mating season? 4) Is it all three? Or 5) Does he have an issue with the hunting of birds period? From the introduction I gather Nr.4 is what is being criticised, but during the videos he frequently focuses on the illegal shooting of protected birds. And also mentions spring time a few times. Now obviously shooting protected birds is a problem, which even seems to annoy some hunters, and the police seem to be trying to do something about it. Hunting outside season is also illegal and hence reprehensible. Shooting birds during spring may be bad practice but is it illegal in Malta? My criticism regarding the program is that besides it not being very clear, it is also overly emotional, unnecessarily using emotive language. Also he does not say anything about Maltan hunting laws, or investigate why the hunters are actually hunting the birds? Is it for trophy's, sport, or do they actually eat some of the birds? From what I saw I doubt the later is the case.
The first video does come across as overly emotional, but it's not disingenuous, this is a from a guy who has devoted his life to wildlife. Of course he has an issue with the hunting of all birds! So do I and so would any decent person. The first issue is the fact that spring hunting should be banned as it is everywhere else in europe, but not in Malta (yet). Then there is the general problem of hunters who hunt out of season, of which there are many. But mainly I think the issue is the blurred lines between 'legal' hunting (5,000 quail and 11,000 turtle doves per year) and 'illegal' hunting which is totally indiscriminate. It is clear that many hunters use the cover of spring hunting to hunt rare migratory birds for trophies. Yes it is purely for 'sport'. I doubt any of the 12 eagles that were shot down last year ended up on anybody's dinner plate. The ones who say they are against it, I tend not to believe all of them... I have lived here for 3 years now and I have experienced the deceptive tactics that some of the Maltese people will deploy in order to get away with things they know are wrong. Basically they like to add confusion into an argument, then try to change the subject and deflect the issue elsewhere, thus leaving the original question unanswered. So for some of the hunters who say they are annoyed by the 'illegal' hunting, it seems likely to me that they are just pretending and trying to divert attention away from themselves. The Maltese are mostly genuine and welcoming, but they are not stupid or innocent either, they have a tough history and have become expert negotiators / manipulators. Sometimes it is hard to figure out where the truth really lies in any particular argument. The hunters are all out there killing birds together, so it's impossible to distinguish between them, and why should we anyway? Another issue is general apathy from the government and the police in fighting against such a widespread problem. Due to the large numbers of hunters, neither political party will crack down fully in fear of losing votes. Then there is the fact that some police themselves are in fact hunters, so they are not going to be so interested in catching the offenders. As we saw, that one policeman was more interested in arresting the cameraman who was reporting on the situation! Due to being a small island, there is a tendency for people not to want to rock the boat in fear of repercussions, I guess this is how the issue got so out of control, but hopefully thanks to documentaries like this one, this is the beginning of a change.
The above is the answer from a foreigner living in Malta for only 3 years. The following is an answer from me, a 37 year old Maltese hunter (since 21yrs old).
1) The main issue is to stop spring hunting - during which 2 species (turtle dove & quail) could be hunted during a limited season of two weeks where hunting is allowed until 14:00 during week days and until 12:00 on Weekends and Public Holidays. Each hunter is allowed a MAX bag limit of 2 + 2 birds during the whole two week season. Malta, is the only state allowed this through a derogation that has to be applied for each year. This is possible after a decision taken in the EU COURT OF JUSTICE as the other alternative (Autumn) the numbers of these two species are not enough.
2) As you already noticed, the issue of shooting of protected birds, which irritates most genuine hunters, is mostly highlighted in each video. Therefore they are misguiding people, by making everyone pity every bird shot - whether legal game or illegal protected birds. Unfortunately, like in every other country, including UK + Germany , illegalities do occur. But these are minimal, and definitely not in MILLIONS as they claim. These are also fined heavily, with a Max €5000 fine + Max 1 year jail + Confiscation of hunting license for LIFE for a FIRST TIME OFFENDER! But like in every other sector,you will always find who abuse. This does not mean that you can put everyone in the same basket.
3) The game birds, legally hunted during this spring season are consumed. It is a tradition which has been going on for ages. It s not easy to catch as it sounds.
4) In reference to what wailer27 claimed, that "the police are more interested in arresting the people reporting on the situation" I would refer you to these links:
www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140402/local/hunters-fined-total-of-10000-for-shooting-protected-bird.513297
www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140417/local/15-hunting-offences-recorded-since-saturday-government.515415
Just because the law is in place, doesn't mean it is followed. I do try to look at both sides though. Agreed, I shouldn't have said hunting is always just a cruel sport. For the birds which are consumed it would be hypocritical for a meat eater to say that is wrong. But to say the killing of rare birds is being exaggerated is just deception as proved in the next videos in the series. Everybody sees through that. If 'genuine' hunters are so outraged by it, you are the ones who need to help put an end to it... you need to create a culture within the FKNK where these trophy hunters are ostracised and you need to help the authorities catch them. Otherwise, the only solution is that there is a general crack down on all hunting activity and you all suffer. How badly do you want to hold on to your tradition because it looks to me like there is a change in the air.
I don't know why there is a culture where foreigners are not allowed to comment on anything in Malta. I am free to give my opinion. Barranin għandhom leħen ukoll.
wailer27 Let me start with your last paragraph....I never said that you should not comment.
Next is a question - Why should I do a police job if I am not a policeman? The police are out there, this time even in larger numbers, so I prefer to let them do their job.
And regarding the exaggerations....of course that every incident is inflated. I continue to say that things changed a lot and to my knowledge, if out of 10,000 hunters only 6 incidents were reported that is really low. If you want, let me give you the benefit of the doubt and multiply 6 incidents x 100 times = 600 incidents. (Kindly remember that the Vet gave an estimate of 100-110 incidents per year)
Aren't 600 incidents a mere low of 6%??
mosti77D This is maths you plucked out of thin air. 10,000 is a massive number for a small island. It's the total numbers of offences that count, not percentages. This argument just got unproductive. I said what I had to say. Yeah foreigners are allowed to comment, but the comments are always worth less than when made by locals.... then when 2 locals start a debate they just shout over each other and no real progress is made, e.g. Xarabank last night! I know that's a generalisation. You do seem like a genuine person but obviously you would be biased towards pro hunting and myself vice versa.
hi chris please can you try and do a article for the bbc we need more publicity for this i hope all of you keep safe
Of Malta's 1.5 million visitors every year, 450,000 are from the UK. If the Maltese authorities are not effective at clamping down on illegal hunting, a travel boycott from UK tourists is one option. However, I would very much like us to get our own house in order with respect to illegal raptor persecution first.
When I listen to that gentle man Jo I hear of a past when the killing was for food now it appears to be a mindless indiscriminate barbaric onslaught on the defenceless on a scale that's just ridiculous ! must be awful seeing this at first hand
When you d like I am inviting you publicly to join us for a good palate of game
Thank you for your offer but you may not be surprised that I do not eat wild birds . I do not agree with their killing in UK or anywhere in the world . This is not an anti Malta campaign ,I have Maltese friends, who are as shocked as me ...... Soon there will be no birds to shoot as they have no chance to breed .
@ Simon Learner: Most probably you missed my last sentence.
I also agree that what happens in UK does not justify what happens here.
BUT, UK is nearly 800 times bigger than our islands(Malta only 316 Kmsq); so that s one reason why we only hear about just a fraction of what happens in UK.
I agree with the fact there are responsible hunters who obey the law, but I do assure you that in the UK there is not the same attitude to hunting small wild birds and it would be an exception rather than the rule if that occurred.
Simon Learner Isn t a turtle dove the same size as a wood pigeon ? (more or less). Oh but you consider that as a pest , so you can still kill it in spring.
mosti77D Turtle Doves are increasingly rare across Europe and is almost extinct as a breeding species in the UK. Wood-pigeons can be shot by farmers as it is seen as an agricultural pest and as a food source; but not on public land and they are also common across the whole of the United Kingdom, so you are not comparing like with like.
It is also fairly uncommon for Wood pigeons to be shot which I'm glad about as I think they are wonderful birds.
There is absolutely NO comparison between farmers culling occasional wood pigeons (which are actually pretty much twice the size of a turtle dove), and thousands of hunters slaughtering thousands of endangered birds, apparently for fun. It's just mindless stupidity.
I can think of loads better places to go for a holiday, and I will.
5:42 I did not know there Swifts are also exposed. It is sad.
If you go out to the countryside, be careful not to trip over some bird traps or robin bait cage as there are plenty... it is just sad over here... The EU needs to put more pressure.. some people are still living in the past... =/
So much theft of precious oxygen. Where's the massacre? No footage?
i used to live in southern italy: same there. It's the whole Med, not just Malta: i hear Spain is worse
They are all so beautiful as are all.species.ànd.animals. I.wish all this cruelty will be stopped as homosapiens need to.develop and change and start respecting all. creatures..
You can help - we all can - donate to the Birdlife Malta team and email: your MEP, the Maltese MEP's the Maltese Minister for the environment and the EU Environment minister - Janez Potocnik. And keep writing. Let Malta know the world is shocked and let them know that your money will not be spent on Maltese holidays - there are a lot more than 10,000 tourists visit Malta, and they spend a lot more than hunters do. Lets see how important that revenue stream is to the Maltese government.
Driving animals to extinction is one of humanity's great evils. We must put pressure on those elements of the Maltese population and government who allow indiscriminate slaughter of birds to continue. EU, use your muscle.
Mr.Packman, here we're talking about spring hunting! Your clip didn't even highlight what the legal parameters & quarries of the maltese spring hunting season are, which is very misleading. I fully condemn illegal hunting but this has nothing to do with the maltese spring hunting season. You are more than aware that such illegalities happen in malta not only during spring, and in every part of the world 365 days a year. No need to act surprised about this! It would be more scientifically useful if you had to document the number of quarry shot (turtle doves & quail) as this would help quench the very false picture that people like the BLM ilk painted which runs into millions, when in fact its MUCH LESS. And if you can keep sensationalism out of the clip it would be more professional .. will you start crying and faint the next time you see a dead bird?
#_OVB #Lazar #Lezer Janos #Malta n nem csak bankolt?
4 birds per season.. Massacre. Haha Chris, if one person commits a crime everyone else must be a criminal? Come on mate are you trying to stop spring hunting for the birds? Or just to make a name for yourself?
I've made a cover photo on Facebook, share it/ make it your own with the accompanying text...
link.chogg.com/uynxq
Mr.Packham, don t you think that what is good for the goose is good for the gander! Don t you have any irresponsible people in UK who also break the law? Just in case you forgot, have a look here:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/09/record-reward-conviction-raptor-deaths-19-scotland
Like it was very well argued from the hunter you interviewed , you can t put every hunter in the same basket.
I would suggest that you get your fact right before you complain. If you followed Chris at all you would know that he has been actively campaigning against the persecution of raptors in Scotland, he regularly retweets Scottish Raptor Persecution Tweets, and has been leading the calls to get the person responsible for the massacre in Scotland to be prosecuted. Chris has gone to Malta, because he has got fed up of trying to get conservation organisational and TV stations to report what is going on over there , and to support the volunteers who have been monitoring this yearly massacre for too long. Hopefully his presence may finally help to bring pressure on Malta.
redkitewatcher None of my facts were wrong. And your last sentence says it all ! Why do we need someone(especially foreigners) to "bring pressure on Malta"? I don't think that your country would accept any kind of pressure whatever the subject may be.
As I already said, you can t put everyone in the same basket.
Also, I suggest you read the comments by Mr.Natalino Fenech in this link:
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/20/conservationists-marksmen-malta-bir d-hunt?CMP=twt_fd
Finally, I refer you to my other comments .
Why would anyone shoot a swift? I know, someone who prefers flies and mosquitoes some backward sub human.
Stop shooting!!!
It's a bird ffs
I am against hunting however you are taking it too far! You are harming Malta's reputation and possible effect tourist industry.
I was in Gozo in April on my last day of going bird & butterfly watching fantastic all the wild flowers where I found hundreds of wild birds manly turtle doves in a huge yard loads of cages full of birds in broke in and tried 2 release them with no success with out tools 2 free them in had know chance it was obvious know 1 went the much just 2 feed the poor things they had captured next 2 the cadges was a barbecue with bones & feathers where it looked like every now and then theyed eat there catches in front of what ever was in the cadges had 2 leave 2 catch my flight with a lump in my throat as I was unable 2 help I know where this depo is next spring i will be going back with the write tools if any 1 would like 2 come with me not just 2 realise thoughs though so birds in that depo but any I can find / Grovesy
Breaking into someones property ?
Missed
Packham porkie pies!!
Sean Miller how
Were are the millions of birds Being shot by Maltese hunters that you promise us to see?
You gotta stop calling this "Malta Massacre " your pissing alot of people off along the way Chris.
You such an ignorant uncaring idiot!
Good if it annoys you and your silly bird murdering cronies ,you are one of them from Malta ,You are not from the uk as you try to lie and say ! It is showing the world now how pathetic and nasty you are !
The rest of the world is annoyed and angered with you lot ...shooting rare birds is despicable !
Rosemarie Weidmann you don't eat meat? or only about birds you are concerned? i'm not a vegetarian. and what spain do is not cruelty for you? torturing bulls for pleasure. that is what i call pathetic. and yes i am a proud maltese
Since you are mentioning Spain ,yes Bull fighting is a cruel way to kill a Bull so slowly there are people that have been campaigning against it for years ,, and you can stop now with that daft comment about eating meat as the birds that your so called spring hunters kill are not being shot for meat or anything other than the sick enjoyment of hitting a target that moves ! Swifts ,Little Egret, Cuckoo and many other tiny things they are not big enough to pretend that you are killing for meat and they are protected species ,Those shooting birds stop other people going out to go camping or walking public land like they own it when they don't ! 65% of Maltese people do not want this loopy so called sport so anyone shooting birds trying to get to a breeding ground needs to be fined, gun confiscated and perhaps for shame posters with their face put up with what they have done written ! Hunters ,,rubbish no hunting out their prey happens they just see a bird fly and shoot from a static hide !
hunting is everywhere why you pretend that only us maltese to stop going to hunt? you think cause since we live on a tiny island we give up quickly? how wrong you are we may be small in population but our hearts are so big that you cant imagine how. so killing a bear or a dear is ok for you? or perhaps cause we dont have those animals here you are not complaining? people voted for spring hunting already if you don't know in our elections with a majority of 36000 cause it was written black on white, so stop putting your ass in our business
It bothers me, Chris, that we need to differentiate between controlled hunting of birds which, as species, are under no threat, and the shooting of songbirds. The shooting clan has plenty of black marks against it, including the disgraceful killing of raptors, but it is nonetheless true that shooting maintains ground cover and habitat which is of great benefit to all birds, not just the shooters' quarry.
This is not relevant in the example of the Maltese shooters, of course, but please reassure me that you will keep a balanced view of shooting.
Evil
drama
What massacre are you talking about you have shown only 2 birds dead .... your aim is to stop this tradition you should go to your country minding your own business shame on you
He does campaign in the UK rest assured of that. He is a national treasure.
False News...so exaggerated
Mark Cooper did you even watch the series
this is a pack of lies