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tomov
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Some interesting stuff from Chris Packham in Malta...

and http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/

 

I have a bit of respect for Packham who, in the past has been unafraid to support culling of species where needed (although I disagree with his stance on the badger cull). I wonder if there is a bit of an opportunity here for organisations like BASC, NGO etc to get on the front foot PR wise and condemn illegal shooting ( particularly relevant given the situation with regard to raptors in Scotland at the minute).

 

 

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I lived there for four years back in the 70s.

 

It was common practice to shoot anything and I mean anything (Robins, swallows, Ibis, Stork, Osprey

... You get my drift) The birds went to the pot or got stuffed.

 

Life has moved on. I've been back numerous times since and have seen a massive change in attitudes to the practice and a real reduction in.

 

Packham is highlighting illegal shooting in Malta and rightly so but don't be fooled it is carried out by a dwindling band. Back in the day those Harriers wouldn't have made Luqa airport let alone roost there.

 

By the way I'm pretty sure the Italians and French are still up to no good with migrating songbirds.

 

I think he's joined the party a bit later than he could have.

 

I remember about 15 years ago being amazed to see Gulls in the harbour!!! Never used to, they would have got it from the nearest Luzzu!!!

 

After The UK, Malta is my best Island in the world, great people, history and weather.

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I lived there for four years back in the 70s.

 

It was common practice to shoot anything and I mean anything (Robins, swallows, Ibis, Stork, Osprey

... You get my drift) The birds went to the pot or got stuffed.

 

Life has moved on. I've been back numerous times since and have seen a massive change in attitudes to the practice and a real reduction in.

 

Packham is highlighting illegal shooting in Malta and rightly so but don't be fooled it is carried out by a dwindling band. Back in the day those Harriers wouldn't have made Luqa airport let alone roost there.

 

By the way I'm pretty sure the Italians and French are still up to no good with migrating songbirds.

 

I think he's joined the party a bit later than he could have.

 

I remember about 15 years ago being amazed to see Gulls in the harbour!!! Never used to, they would have got it from the nearest Luzzu!!!

 

After The UK, Malta is my best Island in the world, great people, history and weather.

I tend to agree with you. I've been a frequent visitor to Malta for more than 30 years and I believe attitudes are changing now. On my first trip my wife and I got peppered by a guy trying to shoot a robin in a bush near Ghan Tuffur (Spelling?). It would've been nasty had we not been inside a car! On the same trip we were in a bar in Zeebug and a hunter brought in a wounded honeybuzzard. He chained the poor thing to a shelf for all to see.

In some areas I've seen the same group of hunters ceaselessly patrolling scrubland for hours shooting migratory birds as they arrive. I've seen other guys standing on top of high rise buildings at dawn shooting passing birds.

 

I've talked to several Maltese hunters over the years and suggested that they try stocking their fields with partridges or quail, but they just don't get the concept of putting something in.

 

Now, though, the pressure is increasing with groups of ornithologists disrupting shooters. Also, the increasing urbanisation I believe will eventually finish off shooting on this very small island.

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Last time I was in Malta there were guns in a line walking behind a beach shooting wild cats..

 

In plain sight of holiday makers....this was 10 years ago and it seemed like as long as they were killing things it didn't matter what it was..

Funny you should say that.

 

The local delicacy is rabbits but the times I've been there I've never seen one ;-) not seen many cats either ;-0

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Funny you should say that.

The local delicacy is rabbits but the times I've been there I've never seen one ;-) not seen many cats either ;-0

As mentioned I lived there for four years and never saw a wild bunny!!

 

They also have some great pastries, bread to die for and the peppered goats cheese is wonderful!

 

I'm hungry now!

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Funny you should say that.

 

The local delicacy is rabbits but the times I've been there I've never seen one ;-) not seen many cats either ;-0

I once looked through a gate in a back alley in Rabat, Malta. In the smallish back yard there must have been 80 hutch rabbits (none of them in hutches!). Until then I'd puzzled over the absence of rabbits alongside their popularity on the table. A bloke who did some work on my house was into breeding show rabbits and told me he was a regular guest judge at shows in Malta.

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