Hunters: propaganda on birds we kill ‘causes unnecessary suffering to birds’

Mark Mifsud Bonnici, president of the St Hubert Hunters’ association (KSU) has taken issue with the use of injured birds by conservationists.

In a statement, Mifsud Bonnici said using images of the injured birds “for propaganda purposes is deplorable and causes unnecessary suffering to birds already under trauma.”

BirdLife Malta and CABS (Campaign Against Bird Slaughter) often circulate press images of birds found injured as they are being tended to by vets.

But KSU has ‘condemned’ what it termed the “persistent exploitation of such birds by Birdlife Malta as a means to sensationalize illegal hunting. It is undisputable fact, confirmed publicly by the authorities, CABS and independent ornithologists, that the vile persecution of protected birds is well under control and practically eradicated.”

Mifsud Bonnici said that Maltese law punishes hunters severely for any transgressions.

“But the authorities infallibly close an eye when Birdlife activists hold public protests with injured protected birds on the steps of Castille or when group photos of injured birds are presented to the media. The law specifically states no one is allowed to handle or euthanize protected birds unless authorized to do so.

“Over the past years Birdlife unilaterally and without authorization euthanized hundreds of birds, most of which could have otherwise been rehabilitated, used for species reintroduction purposes, education or scientific research. In view of the fact that Birdlife Malta purport to be the authority to handle or euthanize protected birds KSU call on Birdlife Malta to publicly publish such authorization in order to substantiate their claims.”

Mifsud Bonnici also said that the KSU considered the “exploitation of protected birds” as an equal offence and call on the authorities to apply the law without any favoritism.