[foxsparrow]

I'm forwarding a press release from sErbia

Requested Common Quail & Turtle Dove Hunting Ban

After a panel discussion held in Novi Sad on 4 October 2003, the Bird
Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina and League for the Ornithological
Action of Serbia and Montenegro, together with Ecological Movement of
Stanisic, requested State officials to remove Common Quail Coturnix coturnix
and Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur from the game bird list and permanently
prohibit further hunting.

While fully protected in neighbouring countries (e.g. Hungary, Czech
Republic, Slovenia), both species are under intense hunting pressure during
autumn migration in Serbia. Traditionally, these two species are not of
interest to local hunters and are mainly offered as game birds to visiting
foreign hunters (predominantly Italian). Serbian law presently allows the
hunting of both species from 1 August to 30 September.

Also, under cover of Quail hunting, it is unfortunately not unusual
for other protected species fall victim. Among these species, we know that
Corn Crake Crex crex is being killed; we have the evidence of several
specimens but reports to officials have been to no avail.

We fear that the number of killed Corn Crakes might be fairly high, but the
low number of hunting inspectors are unable (or unwilling?) to control
commercial shooting organized for visiting clients by hunting tour agencies.
These shoots are no different from the recent Balkan Birds affair, when
protected species were hunted in Serbia and smuggled to Italy as restaurant
delicacies!

It is estimated that the Common Quail population in Serbia & Montenegro is
10,000 to 15,000 pairs strong (1990-2002 period) but has decreased by 10% to
30% in the same period (estimates: Birds in Europe - Their Conservation
Status II). In the 1996-2000 period, annual number of Common Quails killed
by hunters in Serbia is estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 head.

Alarmingly, Serbian Hunting Association’s “Long-term Program of Development
of Hunting in Serbia from 2001 to 2010” plans 40,000 to 60,000 individuals
to be killed on an annual basis. Common Quail population trends in most of
Europe are decreasing, and these planned figures are not sustainable.

With traditional hunting techniques using dogs, one hunter can expect 3 to
10 Quails per morning. In order to satisfy the ‘customer demand, hunting
agencies are often using tape recorders prohibited by both Serbian law
(Paragraph 46, The Law on Hunting) and the Bern Convention. Beside the tape
recorders, also widespread is the illegal use of pump-action guns able to
take more than two cartridges (prohibited by Paragraph 47 of the Law on
Hunting).

It is estimated that more than 90% of all the Quails in Serbia (mainly in
the northern Vojvodina province) are killed using these illegal techniques,
enabling a single hunter to kill 300 Quail per morning (wounded birds that
can fly away to die elsewhere are not included in this figure).

Our activists have reported numerous cases of illegal tape recorders to
local hunting inspectors (TV B92 even managed to film the tape recorders and
their ‘warden’), but again to no avail. Some hunting societies are almost
‘specialized’ to this kind of hunting, which represents their main income
source.

Also, it is estimated that Turtle Dove population in Serbia & Montenegro is
65,000 to 120,000 pairs strong (1990-2002 period) but has decreased by 10%
to 30% in the same period (estimates: Birds in Europe - Their Conservation
Status II). In the 1996-2000 period, annual number of Turtle Doves killed by
hunters in Serbia is estimated at 10,000 to 50,000 individuals. “Long-term
Program of Development of Hunting in Serbia from 2001 to 2010” plans 10,000
to 20,000 individuals to be killed on an annual basis.

Like Quails, Turtle Doves are mainly killed in the northern Vojvodina
province by visiting foreign hunters. Local Common Quail population in
Vojvodina is 3,000 to 5,000 pairs strong, while Turtle Dove population in
the same area is estimated to 20,000 to 50,000 pairs (Birds in Europe -
Their Conservation Status II).

Besides direct hunting pressure, there is significant disturbance at the
places where birds traditionally roost during migration.

Therefore, Bird Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina and League for the
Ornithological Action of Serbia and Montenegro, together with Ecological
Movement of Stanisic, requested the Natural Resources and Environment
Ministry to change the legal status of these two species in the Law on
Hunting, Game Hunting Seasons Order and Natural Rarities Protection Order. A
permanent hunting ban is proposed on both species in Serbia, as well as
removal from the game bird lists and inclusion in the List of Natural
Rarities. Our request was signed by seven other animal protection NGOs.

Marko Tucakov
Hon. Treasurer, Bird Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina
Radnicka 20a, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
zzpsns@eunet.yu

Dragan V. Simic
Chair, League for the Ornithological Action of Serbia and Montenegro
Njegoseva 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
ddsimic@eunet.yu

[foxsparrow]

I'm forwarding a press release from Serbia

Bird Smuggling in Serbia

On 19th of September 2004, Croat custom officers have confiscated almost 10,000 frozen birds destined for Italy (8,302 Quails and 1,474 Turtle Doves). The cargo was destroyed and the lorry driver fined with 38,000 Croat Kuna (cca. €5,000) and then released.

The refrigerated container lorry was sealed at the custom office in W Serbia’s town of Pozega, shipping company was ‘Crni Bor’ from the Lugovo village in the NW Serbia, the invoice claimed the cargo to be firewood!

Shipping company owner Djordje Vojnovic said that the cargo belonged to the Italian Count Pietro Arvedi d'Emilei (75), owner of the "Re di Quaglie S.R.L." ("King of Quails") hunting lodge in the Doroslovo Village, NW Serbia.

On 24th of September 2004 Sombor Municipality Police has questioned d'Emilei under suspicion of smuggling, but after two hours elderly Count complained that he does not feel well so he has been transported to a hospital in Belgrade, released since his life was not in danger and he has left Serbia the day after to continue his recovery in Verona.

One week later, “Re di Quaglie S.R.L." lodge was officially closed and eight employees fired. Like in previous similar cases, no court ending is in sight.

************************************************** **********

Dragan V. Simic
Chair, League for the Ornithological Action of Serbia and Montenegro
Njegoseva 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
ddsimic@eunet.yu

Protecting species, habitats and sites through the involvement of people, the League for Ornithological Action of Serbia and Montenegro is a fully-independent, non-profit NGO which cares for birds, people and the environment.

Stiteci vrste, stanista i lokalitete putem ukljucivanja javnosti, Liga za ornitolosku akciju SCG je nezavisna i neprofitna NVO koja mari za ptice za ljude i za prirodu.

[foxsparrow]

The website of the "official importer of Italian hunters to Serbia":

http://www.rediquaglie.com

http://www.rediquaglie.com/immagini/cacciaquaglie01.jpg

Cheers

Menotti Passarella
http://www.birdingitaly.net

[Greg L]

Is there anything that we can do to help you in this matter??

[foxsparrow]

Originally Posted by Greg L

Is there anything that we can do to help you in this matter??

Hi Greg and thanks. Not any newspaper here in Italy is reporting this matter, so the "author" of the smuggling is free to host, presently, the former king of Italy in his own Villa along the shore of the Garda lake ! This is happening while in both Croatia and Serbia a lot of articles were written -finally- against the criminal Italian hunters abroad. A set of 25 articles (in Serbian and Croatian) are collected at this blog since today:
http://serbianbirds.blog.tiscali.it/...1108_20041114/
It is possible to write comments at the foot of any article; we need the translations of the full article (or a digest) to help the Lipu-Birdlife (Italian League for the Protection of Birds) for preparing press releases during next days. So any help from people being able to translate from Serbian or Croatian would be very appreciated !

Thanls

Menotti Passarella
http://www.birdingitaly.net/