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Terrible massacre of thousands of migrant finches and pipits in Italy (1 Viewer)

David

David

Well-known member
Dear friends and colleagues,

Video material shot by CABS members in the Italian Alps has severely shocked bird and nature lovers all over Europe. The film shows the massacre of over 10,000 song birds by over 100 hunters on an alpine mountain pass vital for bird migration. Within a short space of time thousands of shots were fired, the hunters shooting without consideration for the conservationists present. Shotgun pellets and dead birds rained down on the group of CABS and LAC members observing and protesting against this brutal and aimless slaughter. The targets were thousands of Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches, Bramblings and Hawfinches that had been illegally declared huntable by the local authorities.

There is more information - with access to the video on youtube, at http://www.komitee.de/en/actions-and-projects/italy/massacre-colle-san-zeno

Please also follow the links to send a protest mail to the new Italian government.

Many thanks in advance,
 
No excuse for this type of thuggery:C - the EU needs to act ASAP!!

PS: I often wonder how any migrant birds make it to Africa given the unrestrained slaughter all around the Med and Middle east:(
 
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Irish Kite said:
No excuse for this type of thuggery:C - the EU needs to act ASAP!!

PS: I often wonder how any migrant birds make it to Africa given the unrestrained slaughter all around the Med and Middle east:(
Click to expand...

We do our best - but the EU and its member states must act!
 
i just sent the Italian minister a personal email about the disgusting situation, I also signed the petition and sent my comments on the video

encourage all to do the same

the least we can do to speak up for the birds

well done CABS, go get them !!
 
1) Do they eat them?

2) are the shooters aware of the species, and that they are neither game nor invasive?

3) are game officials present & aware? It's permitted?
 
this may not be appropriate to a wild bird forum, but posted due to EU legislation.... for some.

The EU has decreed battery hen farming to be phased out by the end of this year. British farmers have complied with with this legislation. However, on the continent it appears that some countries are not preparing to comply, so will they continue to sell illegal eggs after 1 Jan 2012

Agree that this senseless slaughter of songbirds is disgusting, sometimes I think that man, who claims to be the pinnacle of evolution (homo sapiens, the wise one), is anything but.

The saddest story has to be that of the Tasmanian Tiger. Wrongly accused of causing the failure of sheep farming it was feared and hated by the white settlers and hunted to extinction. Deliberately. Denounced as useless stinking vermin. The only "gain" was the Government sponsored bounty scheme, you were financially rewarded for each tiger pelt. The last proven animal to exist died of neglect in the local zoo.

Actually, it was a marsupial carnivore, superficially resembling a dog, and the stripes on its back gave rise to its name

Google tasmanian tiger or go to tasmanian-tiger.com
 
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kennethwfd said:
this may not be appropriate to a wild bird forum, but posted due to EU legislation.... for some.

The EU has decreed battery hen farming to be phased out by the end of this year. British farmers have complied with with this legislation. However, on the continent it appears that some countries are not preparing to comply, so will they continue to sell illegal eggs after 1 Jan 2012

Agree that this senseless slaughter of songbirds is disgusting, sometimes I think that man, who claims to be the pinnacle of evolution (homo sapiens, the wise one), is anything but.

The saddest story has to be that of the Tasmanian Tiger. Wrongly accused of causing the failure of sheep farming it was feared and hated by the white settlers and hunted to extinction. Deliberately. Denounced as useless stinking vermin. The only "gain" was the Government sponsored bounty scheme, you were financially rewarded for each tiger pelt. The last proven animal to exist died of neglect in the local zoo.

Actually, it was a marsupial carnivore, superficially resembling a dog, and the stripes on its back gave rise to its name

Google tasmanian tiger or go to tasmanian-tiger.com
Click to expand...

I agree and sympathise with all your points Kenneth - but please don't hijack this important thread. It's no use bemoaning these peoples illegal activities. We have to do something concrete about it!

http://www.komitee.de/en/protest/stop-finch-hunting
 
no intention of hijacking thread, wanted to point out what Gerald Durrell bemoaned when "paper" protection given and the locals either not informed or laws not enforced. I will be adding my name to the petition, any further discussion of the TT should be under a new thread, & I will be posting a new thread regarding 3 incidents locally which involve interfering with wild birds or their nests - in the UK

Don't have home fax facilities, reading the protest letter methinks my previous points are valid

This forum is described on google as being freindly...ecxcuse the typos, I just had to duck to avoid the pig
 
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David said:
We do our best - but the EU and its member states must act!
Click to expand...
Although I couldn't agree more with the above. I normally try to stay clear of this type of emotive issue. Having no knowledge of the validity of claims and counter claims made regarding this type of issue.
Having said that. I often wonder how many of the local people turn a blind eye to what's taking place in their own country.
As I understand it, what these shooters are doing is illegal and presume it is not a secret in Italy either. Is it?
If not then it begs the question David. 'If you cant get the locals to admit it happens, then why should the EU and its member states make the effort?'

Let me say from the outset folks. I am not having a pop at anyone here.
Yes! I watched the video's showing the slaughter of migrating birds in Italy and was disgusted by it. I did also sign the petition and even sent the Italian minister a personal email regarding this issue.
I thought that was as much as I could do from the comfort of my PC chair and would have left it at that. Except that a few days later I read something posted on a county birding site from an Italian gentleman touting for business and claiming "Old customs and lingering rumors to the contrary, Italy’s birds are free to live without disturbance or persecution".

This was an opportunity not to be missed to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak. So I mailed the tour operator and asked him just how representative of the Italian birding scene the video's really are.
(See his reply below)

Title: 'Old customes and Lingering Rumours continue'
"Unfortunately there are small portions of the country (Brescia province in that case) where idiot hunters look at the birds just as targets.... What happened in Colle San Zeno (an exceptional event) scandalized people and the local institutions changed the rules about hunting.... Those are not hunters but criminals.. I can guarantee you that Italy now is a "normal" european country.... talking about the protecton of nature in general.. The population of hunters decreased drammatically in the last 15 years.."
 
The EU pointer is good one. The RSPB should be banging on doors in Whitehall and Brussels with the evidence. The UK and individuals can only make disapproving noises to which Italians are famously immune. The EU can hit them where it hurts - in the pocket.
 
Idle Valley Birder said:
Although I couldn't agree more with the above. I normally try to stay clear of this type of emotive issue.
Click to expand...

Well that's one way of dealing with the issue Del. No offence meant but slaughtering large numbers of birds is an emotional experience - even at second-hand.

Having no knowledge of the validity of claims and counter claims made regarding this type of issue.
Click to expand...
When I read something like this (and from a birder at that!) I sometimes wonder why we bother to take direct action - and gather evidence - in EU states that do not effectively implement the law (or ignore or abuse it). Luckily the police, when we hand them hard evidence in the form of videos or sworn statements, or in exceptional cases get them to attend the scene and see law-breaking at first-hand, are bound to take action and prosecute as necessary. Unfortunately they are not proactive so we have to do this part of their job (In Italy, France, Spain and on Malta and Cyprus) for them.


Having said that. I often wonder how many of the local people turn a blind eye to what's taking place in their own country.
Click to expand...
Quite a few - and many others are just apathetic (in most cases - Germany and UK are no exception - although not as bad as Southern Europe).

As I understand it, what these shooters are doing is illegal and presume it is not a secret in Italy either. Is it?
If not then it begs the question David. 'If you cant get the locals to admit it happens, then why should the EU and its member states make the effort?'
Click to expand...
Because they are breaking EU law, killing migrant song birds birds many of which breed in our gardens, and it is up to the rest of us to rub their noses in it an get them to do something or else pay heavy (millions of Euros) fines. That normally wakes up your average taxpayer.

Let me say from the outset folks. I am not having a pop at anyone here.

Yes! I watched the video's showing the slaughter of migrating birds in Italy and was disgusted by it. I did also sign the petition and even sent the Italian minister a personal email regarding this issue.
Click to expand...
Many thanks Del. What they were doing was in clear contravention of the bird protection guidelines but not against the law - a paradox one might say. The explanation is here http://www.komitee.de/en/projects/italy/court-cases

I thought that was as much as I could do from the comfort of my PC chair and would have left it at that. Except that a few days later I read something posted on a county birding site from an Italian gentleman touting for business and claiming "Old customs and lingering rumours to the contrary, Italy’s birds are free to live without disturbance or persecution".

This was an opportunity not to be missed to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak. So I mailed the tour operator and asked him just how representative of the Italian birding scene the video's really are.
(See his reply below)

Title: 'Old customs and Lingering Rumours continue'
"Unfortunately there are small portions of the country (Brescia province in that case) where idiot hunters look at the birds just as targets.... What happened in Colle San Zeno (an exceptional event) scandalized people and the local institutions changed the rules about hunting.... Those are not hunters but criminals.. I can guarantee you that Italy now is a "normal" European country.... talking about the protector of nature in general.. The population of hunters decreased dramatically in the last 15 years.."
Click to expand...
He's right about Brescia but sadly not an exception. See




But hunting and trapping are on the wane. Today's Italian youth, if they have any interest at all, prefer cyber hunting to the real cold and uncomfortable reality. But the problem is not over yet and we will continue to combat it until it is.


In this context this might be of interest


Many of us can take a leaf out of Eugen's book!​
 
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(Quote: Although I couldn't agree more with the above. I normally try to stay clear of this type of emotive issue.)

Well that's one way of dealing with the issue Del. No offence meant but slaughtering large numbers of birds is an emotional experience - even at second-hand.

Thanks for nothing mate. Unfortunately I was/am offended by your comments and wont forget. :C :C

(Quote: Having no knowledge of the validity of claims and counter claims made regarding this type of issue.)

When I read something like this (and from a birder at that!) I sometimes wonder why we bother to take direct action - and gather evidence.

Pray tell me why being a birder makes you clairvoyant? Or given to believe everything one reads or sees in a video.
Also for your information. When i say, stay clear. I mean of the arguments and discussions. I do support stopping illegal shooting, I have been a reserve warden for 25 years. I have also always written to my MP and or the authorities. Until now. :C
 
With Italys poor economic state, its very unlikely that they would look to alienate any part of there electorate, even those voters that shoot. So I would not hold my breath for a stop to this reprehensible conduct, no matter what politicians may promise.
 
Viewpoint from Africa

I know my viewpoint may be uninformed, us Africans don't know any better anyway...?

Blue blood Europeans came to Africa over the centuries and massacre its wildlife for fun - I've all seen the photographs and hunting journals of the European-elite's hunting expeditions (Bushmen was also high on the list of game species).

We uneducated Africans never did that untill we were offered cash from rich 1st world countries in return for ivory and fur.

What is happening in Italy doesn't surpise us in Africa at all.

When sofisticated Europeans arrived in the Americas they did the same: massacred Bison from 60 million down to 600 individuals.

Just wondered what makes a country first-world and another third-world. They say it is the level of education and development?

As history progressed it wasnt' anymore about killing species with a gun but going after the African mineral and natural resources through mining and exploitation which today litter some of our most biodiverse areas of the African continent. We are powerless to stop you guys.

Africa has been and still is being used, raped, scarred, enslaved, abused and misused by first-world countries. Still Africa is accused of not conserving it's nature by the same.

The world is a kind of upside down place isn't it. From this viewpoint it sometimes look like "being educated and being more developed" has the opposite effect.

I will support your petition against the hunting in Italy. We have lost too many of our African migrating birds over there already don't you think?

My humble contribution from the 3rd world.
 
Excuse me sounding igorant, as I have heard of all these cruel regimes attached to 'tiny song birds' over many countries. :-C

What are the outcome of this killing spree - is there a reason for this bloodbath or is it the fact that people need to do this for egoistic reasons :-C

Please give me details as I want to know what is what?

Regards
Kathy
x
 
Idle Valley Birder said:
I mailed the tour operator and asked him just how representative of the Italian birding scene the videos really are.
(See his reply below)

Title: 'Old customes and Lingering Rumours continue'
"Unfortunately there are small portions of the country (Brescia province in that case) where idiot hunters look at the birds just as targets.... What happened in Colle San Zeno (an exceptional event) scandalized people and the local institutions changed the rules about hunting.... Those are not hunters but criminals.. I can guarantee you that Italy now is a "normal" european country.... talking about the protecton of nature in general.. The population of hunters decreased dramatically in the last 15 years.."
Click to expand...

Would this be through 'friendly fire'....?
MJB
 
Idle Valley Birder said:
Pray tell me why being a birder makes you clairvoyant? Or given to believe everything one reads or sees in a video. :C
Click to expand...

I couldn't let this one go. We at CABS experience all of this at first hand every year not only in Italy, but also in France, Spain and on Cyprus and Malta. We also get assaulted on occasions and our cars and property damaged or stolen.

The film in question was shot by my close friend and colleague during our Brescia (Italian S. Alps) bird protection camp last year. We have a lot more similar - first hand - material on Youtube.
 
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