Coalition expresses appreciation for public support against spring hunting

The Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Hunting (CASH) expressed its gratitude to the Maltese people for their ‘courage and resolve’ in taking a stand against the illegal and unsustainable killing of migrating bird in the spring.

“Every Maltese person who signed the petition to call for a referendum to stop spring hunting should take pride in their part in protecting our wildlife and defending the rights of all of us to enjoy our countryside in spring,” said Coalition spokesperson Rodolfo Ragonesi.

Standing on top of the Victoria Lines near Mosta, with a view looking out over the valley towards Burmarrad, representatives of the 13 organisations in the Coalition joined one of BirdLife Malta’s Spring Watch teams for the afternoon in the countryside. 

Volunteers from Malta and abroad enjoyed an afternoon mostly free of shooting, after the 2pm hunting curfew, seeing migrating Barn Swallows, (Huttafa), Swifts (Rundun), Kestrels (Spanjulett) and Harriers (Baghadan). 

“In the morning, it’s very different. There are hunters everywhere, hundreds of gunshots all around and every bird you see you are worried that it might be killed,” said one local volunteer. 

The number of Maltese volunteers participating in the Spring Watch has increased over the years. “People’s awareness of the devastating impact of spring hunting on birds and frustration at the continuing killing of protected birds has increased,” Ragonesi said. “As has the lack of access to the countryside in spring.” 

To date, 44,000 persons have signed a petition to ban spring hunting in Malta – a fact that Ragonesi said showed that people did not find the act acceptable.

“The fact that these people have exercised their constitutional right to demand a referendum on the issue of spring hunting shows that the current situation- whereby hunters in Malta occupying the countryside for three weeks in spring, depriving others of their right to enjoy public areas and killing threatened birds before they breed - is not acceptable.”

“Our understanding and appreciation of wildlife and nature has come a long way since the days when these things were seen only as an infinite resource there to be exploited to our fullest ability. We now know that we can’t just take and take from nature without restraint if we are to avoid causing irreparable damage and destroying that which we should be protecting.” 

“It may be that our birds will take many years to recover from the damage already done by spring hunting, but that is all the more reason to stop it sooner rather than later. We cannot wait until there are no birds left. By then it will be too late.” 

The Coalition said that it was hoping for a referndum before next year's spring hunting season. Donations towards the referendum campaign can made by texting on one of the following numbers:

By phone:

5150 2050: €5

5160 2050: €10

5180 2050: €25

By SMS:

5061 7379:  € 2.33

5061 8096:  € 4.66

5061 9205: €11.65

Alternatively people can visit the campaign fundraising page online at igg.me/at/stopspringhunting to donate and share the campaign.