Can't disagree with you Chris, but I also think its a sad reflection on how distant most people are from the natural world, and how tied up they are in trying to get the latest phone, car with the best badge, designer clothes etc etc. That's why the current government is so preoccupied with economy and pays so little attention to the environment.

I'm not sure we (as a nation) can say anything to the Maltese when a petition to ban driven grouse shooting only just passes 20000 signatures when our biggest conservation organisation has over 1 million members. Unfortunately people either don't see it as an important issue for them or, more likely I think, have no understanding of the issues. Both link back to the fact that so much of society is now almost completely removed from wildlife and the environment. A trip to tatton park, dunham massey or even pennington flash is what so many people think of as a day in the countryside, and I shudder to think how many would miss swallows or swifts failing to return.

This seems to reflect a general problem of people only taking a narrow local or national perspective, even as evidence shows that local customs and traditions such as Maltese hunting are bound up in wider global systems and processes, like in this case migration. Often local interests do need defending from global interests, like global trade and private enterprises such as the fracking industry etc., but unfortunately the same kind of language gets used in cases like this so that a disingenuous David v Goliath narrative is encouraged by many on the right, in the corporate press etc., because they know that people thinking in terms of narrow self interest rather than seeing the bigger picture is what really prevents the progressive change they most fear.

I visited Malta four years ago in Spring and was appalled at the shooting that went on in the countryside. As one No activist said, these people have taken over the countryside and it isn't safe to walk there. I shall certainly not be returning to this beautiful island until something is done by the Maltese government to end this shameful practice. The problem is that the majority of British tourists know nothing of what is going on and, presumably, would care nothing if they did know. It is our job to educate people where we can so that we are not contributing to Malta through its tourist industry.

Most by now will have seen the results, a far from clear 50.8% in favour to retain the right to hunting in Spring.

Many of twitter are seeing this, rightly so, as a dark day in european conservation. However, I think it is worth keeping an open mind and looking for what silver lining remains here. Henry Cook has just informed me that as many as 65% of the Maltese public didn't attend to place a vote, We see this over here to, when joe public feels the subject at heart isn't one that affects his day to day life, he won't have an opinion to cast! it was always going to be the way that those who had the strongest opinions and the loudest voices would be the ones who would be leading this fight. Nearly 50% of those people disagree with todays result, and future education around birds and conservation lead by Birdlife Malta and the RSPB will only work in our favour to convince the 65% that didn't attend. I'd argue that today isn't as darker day as it seems on the face of it. Nothing is so easy.


Cheers all.

-- Edited by JamieDunning on Sunday 12th of April 2015 02:55:44 PM

Malta's referendum to ban bird hunting on the Island takes place - do we see nature triumph over primitivism ....? I hope so.