birding-aus

Malta is Europe's capital for killing of birds

To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
Subject: Malta is Europe's capital for killing of birds
From: "david camilleri" <>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 14:13:54 -0500
Wednesday, January 23, 2002

< Europe's capital for killing of birds >

by Dennis Hanson, Birmingham, UK.

It was with horror and disgust that I read about the abominable antics of those
responsible for the massacre of the swans.

Let's all be honest in calling a spade a spade, the accepted motto of any
Maltese government is "Lost votes are worth more than a few feathered friends".

And then there is the EU itself. If the power base in Brussels had one ounce of
dignity, they would lay it on the line in no uncertain terms.

While Malta is Europe's capital for the slaughtering of migratory birds, its
membership application should be as dead as the swans of St Thomas Bay.

But as always, nothing will happen, the grumblings will go on for a few days,
but in no time all will be forgotten, and life will go on as usual.

Malta is undertaking a concerted effort to attract more tourists to its shores, but someone forgot to inform the prospective clientele to read the small print: "Please excuse the hunters, stick to the towns... We accept no responsibility
for the careless few who wander into the countryside... Do so at one's own
risk!"

This article may also be viewed at
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=86607

=========================

Massacre of mute swans

I was absolutely horrified to hear about the massacre of mute swans in St Thomas? Bay, but not at all surprised. During my visit to Malta, I witnessed many protected birds being blown out of the sky, although well away from the tourist resorts. This latest episode in the appalling onslaught that Malta?s wildlife faces, underlines the fact that the ALE are woefully under-resourced. It is high time that the Maltese Government also recognised this fact. Malta desperately needs a well-resourced, well-equipped wildlife protection unit within its police force, capable of bringing in extra trained officers during the peak migration periods to protect all of our birds as they pass through Malta. Illegal hunting is unfortunately so widespread on Malta and on Gozo, that this will require a substantial financial input from the government. If this is not forthcoming, I fear that incidents such as that at St Thomas? Bay will have a severe effect on Malta?s tourist industry. Tourists will not return if they witness such events on your islands.

Iain Robson

Northumberland, UK

http://www.independent.com.mt/daily/lettersview.asp?id=1558

==============================

What is the Church doing?

I refer to the story regarding the massacre of swans taking rest in one of Malta?s bays. As a regular visitor to Malta and being aware of how friendly and kind the people are, I continue to be appalled by the way some people (men) in Malta treat God?s beautiful defenceless creatures as objects for their own pleasure.
What is the Church doing about this? Have they not heard of Saint Francis?

Mick Sleight

Doncaster, UK

http://www.independent.com.mt/daily/lettersview.asp?id=1561

=========================

Wednesday, January 23, 2002

< Well-coordinated action >
by Tina Hahl, Germany.

Congratulations to the police and Armed Forces of Malta on their
well-coordinated and successful action leading to the arrest of the three
poachers who ruthlessly and pointlessly killed the flock of eight mute swans in
St Thomas Bay on Sunday afternoon.

These 'hunters' have not only brought disgrace upon the hunting federation(s) they belong to but also actively contributed to the endangering and extinction
of the rare wildlife species of Europe.

So much more disgraceful, since the bird slaughterers did not even shrink from bluntly satisfying their lust in public by killing the majestic birds in full view of tourists, children and their co-nationals, who were enjoying this rare
spectacle of nature on the Maltese islands that early Sunday afternoon, thus
deliberately endangering people's lives.

I sincerely hope that the Maltese courts will inflict the maximum fine on the
scoundrels who seem to take ultimate pleasure in actively adding to the
extinction of the common wildlife heritage of Europe.

This article may also be viewed at
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=86603

===========================================
david camilleri

Please now go to < http://proaction.tripod.com/malta/ >
Why don't you join < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Eurobirder > and
< http://proaction.tripod.com/team/
<  http://www.MaltaTouristAction.org


_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to 


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Malta is Europe's capital for killing of birds, david camilleri <=
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU