Hunters seek ‘protection from bird extremists’ over school exhibition outrage

Kaċċaturi San Ubertu asked government to take note of Birdlife Malta's “extremism” and act accordingly to ensure children's unbiased education on hunting.

In a reaction on Thursday, the organisation said the decision to seek financing for the hunting exhibition came from multiple complaints from hunters whose children have been taught that legal and sustainable hunting is wrong and immoral.

The Gozo ministry is financing this exhibition by the hunters’ fraternity Kaċċaturi San Ubertu in all primary schools on Gozo. 

However, BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana said the exhibition was “unethical” because it promoted the killing of birds, as well as the use of a firearm, to primary-age school children.

“What is “disgusting” is the so-called educator’s opposition whilst twisting facts to suit an agenda,” responded Kaċċaturi Ubertu. “What really is alarming is that this biased anti-hunting indoctrination has been in existence since 1994,” the organisation added.

Furthermore, the organisation said the exhibition is not designed to attract youngsters into hunting, but rather to educate them about legal hunting, hunters' environmental efforts, and the culinary benefits derived from this popular worldwide activity.

“Being a popular legal activity worldwide, with over 7,000,000 hunters in the EU alone, our children have every right to be given a factual basis upon which to form an opinion,” the organisation added.

The organisation believes Birdlife Malta has no intention of “shedding their extremism”. Which, according to the hunters’ organisation, spreads unperturbed through the educational system with the blessings of the authorities. 

MaltaToday is informed that all primary schools in Gozo were informed in writing by the director-general for heads of colleges, that the exhibition was being financed by the Gozo ministry.