Don’t hunt the turtle doves
Decision made to protect the birds believed to be under threat of extinction despite growing protests
OPPOSITION to a ban on turtle dove hunting on both sides of the island has been dealt a blow by an EU decision to adopt a temporary prohibition and a new action plan to protect the birds believed to be under threat of extinction.
Of 10 member countries which permit the hunt, Greece, Bulgaria, “Cyprus”, Italy, Spain and Malta have already opposed the temporary year-round ban, but the positions of Malta, France, Romania and Austria remained unclear.
Turtle doves are hunted on both sides of the border from August each year, despite growing protests which reduced last year’s hunt to just four days in the TRNC, while 63 days were allowed in South Cyprus.
Birdlife Cyprus criticised the South’s State Game Fund and Flora Service last week for rejecting the EU ban.
Birdlife International cited an estimated 79 per cent decline in European turtle dove populations and up to 90 per cent elsewhere from 1980-2014 in an April report and action plan.
The report cited the example of the extinction of America’s three billion-strong population of passenger pigeons in the early 20th century “due to a combination of lethal circumstances”.
A new management plan includes a temporary prohibition; strong action against illegal hunting in eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and African states; habitat restoration and better farming practices; a ringing programme; research and monitoring; and provisions for “harvest management” of sustainable hunting in the future.
Biologist Robin Snape said: “A temporary ban makes sense to allow scientific monitoring and management. Basically, globally threatened species should not be shot at for fun.”
Erhan Keser, head of the TRNC Hunting Federation, Avfed, said: “We have had no official notice of this decision but we are aware of the recommenda- tions to improve habitat and water sources, reduce hunting days and quotas and protect breeding, which we fully support.
“If the EU has the data and a temporary ban is imposed, we will respect it.”
Environmental Protection Department head Abdullah Aktolgalı said: “This has been under debate for years and we will respect any EU decision and add the turtle dove to our list of wildlife under protection.”
A new Birdlife International State of the World’s Birds report published last month warned that most threats to avian life were man-made. The new report may be read on the charity’s website, at: www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/ attachments/BL_ReportENG_V11_ spreads.pdf.