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Flamingo slaughter in Kuwait (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter NicoleB
- Start date
Irish Kite
Well-known member
It appears Kuwait is a bit like Malta - only on a bigger scale:-C
NicoleB
Nature addict
It's freaking sad that in a country like this, people go and shoot Flamingos.
Or during migration stand around the farm fences and shoot at anything that moves.
At every beach clean up we find the shotgun (or whatever they are called) shells and at one particular beach you can collect two hand fulls every time.
At the outfalls at Jahra is a whole carpet of empty shells.
I don't know if it's bigger than Malta.
No matter where this shit happens, people need a severe punishment and education.
But the decent birders and nature Lovers in Kuwait (who are Kuwaiti or Arabs) are just too few :-(
Or during migration stand around the farm fences and shoot at anything that moves.
At every beach clean up we find the shotgun (or whatever they are called) shells and at one particular beach you can collect two hand fulls every time.
At the outfalls at Jahra is a whole carpet of empty shells.
I don't know if it's bigger than Malta.
No matter where this shit happens, people need a severe punishment and education.
But the decent birders and nature Lovers in Kuwait (who are Kuwaiti or Arabs) are just too few :-(
Robin Edwards
Well-known member
So, I'm trying to work out the reasoning if there is any.
Are these guys hungry, bored or simply so uneducated that we should feel sorry for them as they no not what they do.
Tossers in my book but then I guess I'm biased.
Robin
Are these guys hungry, bored or simply so uneducated that we should feel sorry for them as they no not what they do.
Tossers in my book but then I guess I'm biased.
Robin
NicoleB
Nature addict
Some people (locals and expats) are working on education, but it's a long way to go.
Not sure how the gun laws are, but re pollution - most people don't give a darn.
If there are fines for anything, in most cases they are not paid due to some good connections people have in the government....
No idea what they are using (just have older pics from shells found), and no idea at all what they used in this case.
Bored would be the reason in this case (and in most others).
Many of these 'hunters' are, as far as I know, Kuwaitis and do it just for fun, feathers and I have no clue what,...
Education is relative in this case. I think that almost all are educated, but just not educated environmentally, hence they have no clue what they are shooting and what the effects on the environment will be.
This also goes for the pollution of the Kuwaiti environment (and I am not talking shotgun shells) :-(
NicoleB
Nature addict
lashinala
Well-known member
If leaded shot, it's contributing to bioaccumulation:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8820436
and this was in 1996....probably much worse now?
Not sure if drawing attention to 'people shooting birds' will work in Kuwait, but bringing lead into the picture may get some attention as a health issue. Just a thought.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8820436
and this was in 1996....probably much worse now?
Not sure if drawing attention to 'people shooting birds' will work in Kuwait, but bringing lead into the picture may get some attention as a health issue. Just a thought.
lashinala
Well-known member
Cristina_H
Well-known member
K's PATH is such a brave organization. I had no idea there was such a thing in Kuwait.
Let's hope the surviving flamingo is able to recover well, physically and psychologically. And why did those poachers just randomly kill so many flamingos? Some people here have said that it's probably just boredom, which would make this killing even more senseless and horrible.
Let's hope the surviving flamingo is able to recover well, physically and psychologically. And why did those poachers just randomly kill so many flamingos? Some people here have said that it's probably just boredom, which would make this killing even more senseless and horrible.
Robert L Jarvis
Robert L Jarvis
And they regard themselves as civilised.
skylark25
Well-known member
Its definitely on a much more bigger scale simply because what goes on down here in Malta is documented and the law is trying to be enforced through direct enforcement and campaigns that are successfully curbing illegalities, on the contrary what goes on in Kuwait and other Middle East countries is rather undocumented since the land mass is much bigger and enforcement is practically non-existent.
I fear that such a news item only represents the tip of the iceberg....
skylark25
Well-known member
Thanks Jaff for mentioning it,
to all those that are interested, I took the initiative to open a thread about the serious illegal hunting problems that are taking place in Lebanon on a scale rather unimaginable. I recommend you give it a look and learn about this serous threat that is surely leaving an impact on our birds...feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=201948
Cheers
skylark25
Well-known member
here was a similar news item from Malta 6 years ago...unfortuantely when it comes to rare protected species....it always ends up this way :-C thankfully things are changing here for the better overall but it will take several years before such a mentality is phased out and such birds are enjoyed free in the sky and not as stuffed trophies
http://www.timesofmalta.com/article...irdwatchers-report-more-illegal-hunting.76390
NicoleB
Nature addict
Maybe I am too disillusioned about Kuwait and actions being taking to do something good for the environment.
But I doubt many people care about the lead - if lead were to be used.
Some people there have a hard time understanding the necessary actions that need to be taken when there's an oil spill. Or ones who take the dying corals seriously. For example.
Maybe there's more in the works I don't know of, but from what little I know I don't see much in the future that will lead to environmentally educated folks that don't throw litter everywhere and who don't shoot any kind of bird out of boredom.
There are too few that try to bring change & it takes too long.
NicoleB
Nature addict
There are two animal rescue organizations: PAWS and K's path (formerly Animal Friends Kuwait) who take in stray animals and make them fit for adoption.
K's path has started a while ago to rescue (or try to) wild animals that were injured. They've build recently from donations two Kennels for big birds,...
They also started the beach clean-ups with two big companies, one along the migratory bird route as a program to make the environment for those birds safer.
We've worked close to that part of beach with the Flamingos. Close by are some ministries and I really don't get how people can get away with this shit.
The photos are from 2010, but the area is as trashy as usual.... protected environment...
Attachments
NicoleB
Nature addict
At least there's hope on the horizon!
tittletattler
Well-known member
The social situation in Kuwait is probably quite different to those of Malta or the Lebanon. I would guess that the shooting is through boredom. It's a hobby. A pastime.
I've read on birding blogs that many of the shooters drive up in 4x4s and shoot from car windows. This makes it sound like a combination of ignorance and boredom...
When I was in Thailand in 1997, I saw a lot of Thai people wandering around parks with the newly released Birds of Thailand. This book was written with both the English and the Thai names and as such, many Thai people had bought the book and taken up birding to some extent.
Is there a bird book for the Middle East written in Arabic? Is there a Kuwaiti website, using arabic, which lists bird species (with photos)?
Could also approach people in cars with guns and quickly, and politely, hand them a leaflet inviting them to a birdwatching walk. I would suggest caution though as to who you approach. Suss them out first.
If they come on the walk and have money, appeal to their vanity. The best birders have the biggest list and the most expensive binoculars. Whatever. If you can change the habits of 1 in 10....
Don't be heavy handed and accept that it won't change completely in your lifetime.
Cheers,
Andy.
I've read on birding blogs that many of the shooters drive up in 4x4s and shoot from car windows. This makes it sound like a combination of ignorance and boredom...
When I was in Thailand in 1997, I saw a lot of Thai people wandering around parks with the newly released Birds of Thailand. This book was written with both the English and the Thai names and as such, many Thai people had bought the book and taken up birding to some extent.
Is there a bird book for the Middle East written in Arabic? Is there a Kuwaiti website, using arabic, which lists bird species (with photos)?
Could also approach people in cars with guns and quickly, and politely, hand them a leaflet inviting them to a birdwatching walk. I would suggest caution though as to who you approach. Suss them out first.
If they come on the walk and have money, appeal to their vanity. The best birders have the biggest list and the most expensive binoculars. Whatever. If you can change the habits of 1 in 10....
Don't be heavy handed and accept that it won't change completely in your lifetime.
Cheers,
Andy.
NicoleB
Nature addict
True. Seen those and heard it from many birders :-(
I am glad it worked there
There are books and at least one good web site.
But books and cameras don't make a big boom and show how cool you are.
There are a few great wildlife photographers, but even they can't motivate their fellow citizen....
Two birders have done this at the beginning of the year. Not sure if they still do it.
Best chances would be with the male Kuwaiti (Arabic) birders / photographers to make them change sites.