Italy's shameful tradition

Year after year the same drama unfolds south of the Alps: As soon as the migratory birds have crossed the Italian border during their flight to Africa in autumn, they are forced to run the gauntlet and hail of lead from hundreds of thousands of hunters. From mid-September to the end of January, 35 bird species are authorised for shooting in Italy - most of them migratory birds such as skylarks, song thrushes, turtle doves and various water birds. The authorities allow >600,000 hunters a quota of 25 birds per day on approximately 60 hunting days, a staggering total of 20 million birds fall victim to this passion every year. In practically all regions, traps and nets are also still used for illegal poaching.

However, the glimmering light of change has been happening in Italy for some years now. As a matter of principle, more and more Italians are rejecting the hunting tradition. Many of them have joined together to form local groups which, with the support of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), are successfully committed to better protection for migratory birds. Volunteer wildlife conservationists from many European countries come together to monitor the key migratory routes of the birds; and dismantle illegal traps together with hunting wardens and the police in an effort to bring poachers before the courts. As a result, the number of traps has declined significantly in recent years.