SHout - Spring Hunting Outcampaigners have put up a sign to reclaim the hunting hotspot as a safe haven for migrating birds in spring.

The Delimara peninsula ,in the south of Malta, is the arrival point for many tired and exhausted birds flying across the sea from Africa on their way to breed. These birds are looking for somewhere to rest and find food however with one of the highest densities of hunters on Malta, hunting is rife here, making it a dangerous place for birds.

SHout Spokesperson Mark Sultana said, “Birds flying over Malta and needing to rest should be able to land safely at Delimara, and find a safe haven where they can rest and recover from their long journey.  Instead, many birds arriving here are actually met by a barrage of shotgun fire because they find themselves in one of the worst places for bird killing in the Maltese islands.”

Volunteers have recorded repeated instances of widespread illegal hunting in the area over the years. Mark Sultana said that “The situation in Delimara is shocking.  For example, 215 incidents of illegal hunting were recorded here in just 20 days in April 2013, making it the worst place in Malta for that sort of wildlife crime that spring."Delimara is particularly bad for illegal bird hunting because there is only one road in and out of the peninsula which means that hunters can see the police arriving in the area. 

The SHout campaign states that the widespread hunting in the area is a deterrent to exhausted migrating birds, preventing them from being able to stop and rest here. In autumn 2014, when the hunting season was temporarily closed, volunteers witnessed huge flocks of birds resting on the rocks at Delimara, a sight that would not be seen during an open season. Mark Sultana said, “On just one day in October we saw a huge flock of more than 100 grey herons resting in Delimara before they started flying over the sea to Africa.  If spring hunting is banned, birds could rest safelyhere on their way back to mainland Europe to breed.”

SHout campaigners also argue that abolishing spring hunting will make Delimara a place where Maltese people can enjoy the spectacle of birds arriving on Malta.  Such a situation would reflect long-term ambitions to turn the area into a National Park for the people of Malta.  Turning Delimara in to a National Park was first proposed in 1997 and in July 2013 Marsaxlokk Mayor, Eric Micallef called on the government to take this idea ‘on board’.

SHoutCampaign Coordinator Romina Tolu said, “Stopping spring hunting would be a major step in ensuring that the publicly owned land at Delimara can become a recreational area for the people of Malta, instead of an area that is infested with hunters who mostly have no regard for the law or any other person who would like to visit the area for peaceful enjoyment.”

Mark Sultana and Romina Tolu were joined by other SHout campaigners who erected the sign to reclaim the area from hunters.  Romina Tolu said, “A ‘no’ vote in the referendum on 11 April will secure Delimara as a safe haven for birds and a quiet place to enjoy the countryside in spring.  I urge everyone to get out and vote ‘no’ on that day.”