Abolishing spring hunting would turn ‘hunting hotspot’ Delimara into bird haven - SHout

Spring Hunting Out (SHout) ambassadors say voting against spring hunting would pave the way for Delimara to be turned into national park

Voting to abolish spring hunting will turn a hunting hotspot in Delimara into a safe haven for migrating birds in spring and a place where Maltese people could enjoy the spectacle of birds, Spring Hunting Out (SHout) campaigners said today.

The Delimara peninsula has one of the highest denities of hunters in Malta and the scene where several protected species were killed. In April 2011, a marsh harrier and a honey buzzard were also shot and killed in Delimara, while a year later, a bee-eater - also a protected species - was shot while flying over Delimara.

“Birds flying over Malta and needing to rest should be able to land safely at Delimara, and find a safe haven where they can rest and recover from their long journey.  Instead, many birds arriving here are actually met by a barrage of shotgun fire because they find themselves in one of the worst places for bird killing in the Maltese islands.”

“The situation in Delimara is shocking. In April 2013, 215 incidents were recorded in just 20 days, making it the worst place in Malta for that sort of wildlife crime that spring,” SHout Spokesperson Mark Sultana said.

In April 2013, 215 incidents of illegal hunting were recorded in just 20 days, making the area the worst place in Malta for illegal hunting. Moreover, Sultana also said that abolishing spring hunting would make Delimara a place where Maltese people can enjoy the spectacle of birds arriving in Malta.

Such a situation would reflect long-term ambitions to turn the area into a National Park for the people of Malta – a plan that was first proposed in 1997. Moreover, in July 2013 Marsaxlokk Mayor, Eric Micallef called on the government to take this idea ‘on board’.

The SHout campaigners also erected a sign to reclaim the hunting hotspot which is the arrival point of many tired and exhausted migratory birds.

In  2014, when the hunting season was temporarily closed, volunteers witnessed huge flocks of birds resting on the rocks at Delimara, a sight that would not be seen during an open season.

“On just one day in October we saw a huge flock of more than 100 grey herons resting in Delimara before they started flying over the sea to Africa.  If spring hunting is banned, birds could rest safely here on their way back to mainland Europe to breed,” Mark Sultana added.