BirdLife Malta accuses Kaċċaturi San Ubertu of deception

“Kaċċaturi San Ubertu’s (KSU) statement once again exposes the amateur level of argument coming from the smaller group within the hunting lobby,” BirdLife Malta said in a statement on Sunday morning.

“There is a basic failure to understand the difference between the Central Eastern flyway, which Malta forms part of, and the Western flyway,” the NGO said.

It was reacting to a statement by KSU which said that BirdLife Malta was contradicting BirdLife International which issued a reported which said that Turtle Doves were making a strong comeback.

BirdLife Malta issued a report in recent days showing that Turtle-dove populations are still declining along the Central-Eastern flyway.

The NGO said that KSU’s claim “is misleading” because the “slight recovery recorded last year” refers only to the Western flyway, whereas Malta sits on the Central Eastern flyway.

“That recovery is not accidental but follows a four-year full moratorium on hunting in countries such as Spain, Portugal and France. This clearly demonstrates that autumn hunting has a significant negative impact on Turtledove populations. It is therefore obvious that spring hunting is even more damaging,” BirdLife Malta said.

“We suggest that before issuing knee-jerk reactions on subjects they clearly do not understand, KSU focuses its attention where it is truly needed – on ongoing illegalities within its own ranks. Reports in recent days are far more telling than any attempt to misrepresent scientific facts,” the NGO said.

It cited recent reports of hunting illegalities including the brutal killing of a Common Kestrel in Gozo by a member of the hunting and trapping community, another Common Kestrel blinded and injured at Mqabba on 20 March 2026, and a Grey Heron with its beak destroyed, near Delimara on 27 March 2026.

“Spring hunting has an expiry date. That time is now,” BirdLife Malta said.

RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta BirdLife Malta accuses Kaċċaturi San Ubertu of deception