It always amazes me when walking along Dingli Cliffs all the little 'hunters hides' that you can see. There must be up to a hundred. We have to be careful here though it is their country and the 'hunters' do not take lightly any criticism from foreigners. As I have found when asking the question why!

It is sad the way they view the 'sport' and nearly everyday there is an article in the Times whereby someone has wrote in condeming them. I just hope the Times keep printing these letters in the hope that views can be changed.

I to am a owner of a shotgun and would never dream of shooting a live animal, like here in England they get people like me a bad name, I only shoot clay pigeons. It was the same with the hand gun law they banned them and there is more killing now than there ever was before,it is the real sportsman who has to suffer .
In my view what they need to do in Malta is ban all shooting of wild life and open more shooting grounds so the hunter then becomes a sportsman and only shots at sporting clays.

Dave

Totally agree with you Dave

Good comment

Allan

It baffles me why these gun toting imbeciles have to shoot these birds. I have to say that it's probably the one serious issue that I dislike about the Maltese culture, though as others have said, I shall continue to go there!

Trev

Hey trev, please do not refer to it as a Maltese Culture. Unfortunately what we are talking about are literally a few mindless ignoramuses, sadistic fools who get a joy out of shooting anything that flys. The majority of hunters are very well aware of what can be shot and what cannot and rest assured that police do not take this lightly. There are a total of 6 weeks during the year that this sport can take place and these select few imbeciles think that they can get away with anything....rest assured that they do not. The practice of shooting protected species or non game birds has reduced drastically over the years especially since the tough laws on such practice are properly enforced (People face up to 15 years imprisonment and confiscation of property) For example if a person is found to have a protected bird in his possesion at his house, then this person actually is risking the law confiscating the premises alltogether. All fines are channelled properly and these funds go towards the enforcement section of the police to deal with the few culprits. It is not as bad as many people make it out to be and as long s we can control these select few fools that blatently break the law then it will just make Malta a better place.....over the years that I have grown up in Malta I can assure everybody that nowadays there are a far more greater amount of birds to be heard singing.

Fallan

I am in complete agreement with you regarding this 'sport' and it's a subject I follow with interest, I only hope that one day it will cease although this seems highly unlikely at present.

As stated in the link below, illegal hunting is still a major problem for the country.

CLICK HERE

Of course, Malta isn't the only country in which illegal hunting takes place, several southern European countries also hunt and trap millions of birds every year.

CLICK HERE

Whoops - sorry Trev!

Of course I wasn't considering that all you Maltese folks go out there shooting anything that flies.

I suppose we are as bad though when you consider that fox hunting, and other nasty blood sports still go on here. However I can assure you that it's not the likes of the normal ordinary folks who pursue these so called sports and attempts to ban them here is proving as difficult as your Government is finding banning the shooting of wild birds. To back our ban on foxhunting etc I think we ought to consider using the kind of punishments that have been legislated for in Malta!

I don't accept that foxhunting etc are part of our culture and I therefore apologise for the poor choice of terminology when referring to the shooting of wild birds in Malta as part of your culture. I realise now from what you have said, that a majority of Maltese folk find this practice abhorrent and I'm well pleased about that.

By the way while I was in Malta during February, I did notice some wild birds flying about and although they were mainly sparrows I think you're right that there are signs that birds are getting the chance to make a comeback!

Trev

Do not worry trev no offense taken, just wanted to calrify my point in view of the other readers. Incidentally our new baby will be born in just under 2 months. Opening date is 1st August....it is being said by thye general public that it will be the best hotel in Malta once open.

Hi Trev,

Thanks for your reply and yes I do think what I said needed clarifying to other readers and I'm pleased that no offence was taken. After the many brilliant times we've had in the past, I'm sure by now you are aware of how fond we are of Malta.

We are holidaying in Malta for a couple of weeks during August. We like to be in the Sliema area then to enjoy both the build up, and the Festa, which takes place during about the third weekend. We'll certainly try to visit your new Hotel in Golden Bay and take a look around, if that's okay with you?

Trev

It would be a pleasure to personally show you around the property. Just let me know the dat.....just in case you do not have my e-mail address tzahra@islandhotels.com

Hello Trevor, well done with the new baby lots of sleepless nights for you then I must just tell you although a few months late we had a great time at the new year at one of your other hotels ( Coastline ) any way getting back to this post, the bit about fox hunting I have been told that since it was banned here in England that farmers are going out shooting them for themselfs and are killing as many as 10/20 a day it (may) be more humane but like the birds in Malta there will not be any left to shoot.

Dave

Oh no here we go again !!!! this kind of thing infuriates me more than most things ever could http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=196085 I have said it before and I will say it again, I love Malta dearly, and in general I have a great fondness for it's people and probably always will, but this level of mindless animal cruelty has to stop, this is an increasingly distastefull black mark against Malta and will put people off visiting the country for good, once and for all the authorities need to get a firm and lasting grip of this situation to prevent these brainless louts from doing permanent and irreversable damage to the reputation of this great little country, not to mention the horrific slaughter of these magnificent birds.

Sliema2

Hello Sliema2, What a day to put this post up 12 Aug some people call it the Glorious 12th and some don't, as I have said before shooting these wild birds would be not so bad if they shot them to eat, but just for fun is not on.
On a lighter note,
I see back at home that the ban the fox hunting crew having got this baned are now moving on to game bird shooting and then it will be fishing so what hope is there for the clay pigeons.
On a historical note,
Was it not the death of Grand Master de la Valette, who died in the chapel in fort st Elmo after a days hunting some years ago.
Hope this calms you down a bit.
Dave

Hi Dave, all is calm now, it's good to hear from you only the other day I was wondering where you had got to, thought you might of emigrated to the Algarve or somewhere, are you going back to Malta this year ?, with regards to clay pigeon shooting, I don't mind them being shot at as long as it is for food, mmmmmm clay pigeon pie

Regards
Sliema2

Hi Sliema2 on Saturday I missed two clays out of twentyfive so they can breed the last I heard they are having a ashtray , as for going to Malta I think this year is out we have just had a new kitchen fitted so most of our money has gone on this, so its just two holidays this year got to wait till the newyear when we go to Tenerife to see the newyear in, the good thing about that is that you get two newyears English and Spainish.
I am torn between going to the Algarve or Malta for our main holiday next year but we will get to both at some point in the year or even a week on Gozo my be good.

Dave

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=196815 if true, why ?

Hello Sliema2,

A sad tale indeed. I have to agree with the auther (Angela Heine, Bugibba) about having the cats neutered. Someone hopefully will set up a charity for this.

Having said this though, are the cats a problem to the local wildlife such as the small lizards and crickets? and if so is this a small price to pay if they do keep vermin down.

hi all

here in Gozo, the SPCA do neuter wild cats, and we have to raise money to pay for it.
http://www.spca-gozo.org/index.htm
(donations always greatfully received !)

don't click on the "rescue & rehoming" tab, or you may end up falling in love with one of cats and dogs

when any of you are on holiday in Gozo, we are always looking for dog walkers, so if you are missing your dog while on holiday....

Hi, as sad as all this is, its a bit of the point about holidays can't we talk about the pot holes in Bugibba, I would think that more holidaymakers hurt there ankles down these than cats that die.
But that is just a personal view.

Dave