New technologies against illegal bird hunting
Newsletter 18/09/2017
The autumn migration of the free flying Northern Bald Ibises has begun; 36 birds have already left their breeding areas. Illegal bird hunting in Italy during the autumn migration is a big threat for the Northern Bald Ibises and other endangered bird species. In 2016 alone, five of our birds were shot in Italy. Those offences caused a financial damage of 230.000 Euro.
In 2012, a hunter who shot two Northern Bald Ibises in the province of Livorno, could be identified. In 2016, he was sentenced to a fine of 2.000 Euro and his hunting license was withdrawn. One year later, the Supreme Court confirmed the judgment, which is an essential precedent against environmental crimes in Italy. It also paves the way for a civil damage claim.
All free-flying Northern Bald Ibises of the project are equipped with GPS tracking devices. Thus, the members of the LIFE+ team can follow each individual on their way to the south. On the stopover sites, they are able to stay near the birds and to inform the local authorities and the police about the presence of the birds.
This year, for the first time, a special task force will support the work of the escorting teams. The task force consists of volunteers that act along the flight route of the birds. The well-established Italian NGO “Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali” with over 500 volunteers is one of the supporters of this task force. Furthermore, the Italian hunting association “Federazione Italiana della Caccia” has offered to organize their own standby-team, which will inform the hunters of the respective regions in case of the presence of Northern Bald Ibises.
In addition, the LIFE+ project team arranges actions in case of further incidents. The particular aim is to ensure that a member of the team or the task force on the poaching scene as soon as possible. Together with professional partners, we are developing so-called “dead body indicators”. At least some of the Northern Bald Ibises shall be equipped with those high-tech devices, which immediately send an alarming signal and the position of the bird in case of a poaching incident. Thus, our team members are able to arrive at the crime scene as soon as possible, to secure evidences and to assist the police in the investigations.
The LIFE+ campaign against illegal hunting in Italy is unique and exemplary, and it increasingly attracts international attention. The European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE) is a pan-European network of prosecutors engaged in the fight against environmental crime. They invited a lawyer and a prosecutor, involved in the legislative measures in Italy, to present and discuss their experiences during the current ENPE conference.
Picture (Waldrappteam): Flight of the Northern Bald Ibises during the human-led migration 2017.
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