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Shooting and the preservation of wildlife in Italy
Conservation Around the Worm
235
(Sunderpura) falls under the 'C' category, the maxiSHOOTING AND THE PRESERVATIONOF WILDLIFE mum limit permitted being 72 acres (29 ha) under IN ITALY 'The Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960'. With a view to affording complete protection to the Italy is still very backward in wildlife protection Blackbuck, it has been declared a protected species in and needs much more effective and creative conservathe Gujarat State, and its shooting is completely tion planning to supervise shooting and improve the prohibited throughout the year. management of her natural resources. Recently, to establish a 'preserve' for Blackbuck in Every year more than 1,750,000 hunters roam Gujarat State, an area of ca 8 sq km of the Velavadar through the Italian countryside from the last Sunday in the Bhal region of the Bhavnagar division, where of August to the first day of January. They are allowed the species is found in good numbers, has been set to kill migratory and non-migratory birds, with the aside as a sanctuary for the Bla~kbuck under the exception of a few species which are protected 'on provision of the Gujarat Wild Animals and Wild paper' but in fact are often killed (Renzoni, 1971). Birds Protection Act, 1963. Government policy is to Shooting from hides goes on until 31 March and have as much land as possible under the forest cover, affects mainly thrushes, finches, wood pigeons, and but the Ceiling Act operates contrary to this policy, other migrants. for the land will go under cultivation--for cash crops. The few existing laws to protect game and superWe are interested to preserve the Blackbuck for its vise shooting are largely inoperative because they are scientific significance and educational value, for not obeyed: Italians lack education in the biological propagating the species, and for the immense joy it sciences, and most of them see animals simply as provides to nature lovers. It will be one of the saddest edible targets. Besides, they have little respect for the days for our country if this beautiful member of the law and least of all for laws that cannot be enforced. Indian fauna vanishes. Meanwhile it is suprising that, Game wardens are, in fact, still few in number and in order to save the species from extinction, the Trust are often ignorant of the fundamentals of ecology and has to pay land revenue in four figures, for the conservation. uncultivated land of the 'preserve', to the Revenue The absence of biological awareness at all levels is Department of the Government of Gujarat. well illustrated by the present attitude towards 'pests' Implementation of the Ceiling Act would result in t h a t is, birds of prey and other natural predators, wasteful slaughter of the voiceless Blackbuck. We never realize the importance of our natural wealth. which are killed indiscriminately (Lovari, 1970). Carelessness on our part would wipe out these Article No. 4 of the New Shooting Code classifies as animals from our land, instead of preserving them for 'pests' the Kite, the Goshawk, and the Sparrow Hawk, future generations. But the 'preserve' could be pro- in 'free territories' (common lands and shoots, where tected by an order of the Government, and a further everyone has the right to shoot). Article No. 38 also edict could help by extending it into the surrounding permits the killing of the Eagle Owl, but forbids the shooting of the other nocturnal raptors. However, the area. The merit of the Baroda Blackbuck 'preserve' is same Code permits the extermination of all birds of that it is in no way a happy hunting ground of the prey on private shoots, in reserves, and in all protected poaching fraternity; firearms are not allowed to be areas ! Hunters may kill pests only during the shooting carried within its boundaries (away from its limits, we season, whereas game wardens are allowed to destroy are helpless), and it is guarded by strict watchmen of them throughout the year and in any way which they proved integrity. Unfortunately, the people of the may wish--poisonous baits, traps, destruction of nests, neighbouring areas do not play their part in the etc. Every year, therefore, a large number of birds of protection of this 'preserve', and so it is our solemn prey are destroyed lawfully as well as unlawfully, with duty to warn the authorities concerned and all who are everyone happily forgetting that these predators play interested that the innocent Blackbuck is threatened an important ecological role in terrestrial ecosystems by limiting the number of rodents and insects. In fact, with extinction--at least as a wild species. birds of prey as a whole kill far more mice, voles, and G. M. OZA, other destroyers of nests and crops, than they do game General Education Centre, Maharaja Sayafi Rao University of Baroda, (Lovari, 1973). Baroda 2, India & AJITSINH C. GAEKWAD,
Maharaja Fatehsingh Zoo Trust, c/o Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda, India.
During three shooting seasons (1969-70, 1970-71, and 1971-72) I have recorded monthly the birds of prey delivered to a taxidermist in Siena, in spite of the fact that the local Committee for Hunting forbids the killing of all species of birds of prey. These include 20
236
Biological Conservation
species, and the majority of victims are Kestrels, four existing Italian parks (Parco Nazionale del Gran Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks, Barn Owls, and Little Paradiso, dello Stelvio, d'Abruzzo, and del Circeo). Owls. On the average, 170 birds of prey are delivered For instance, strong pressures are being exerted to per shooting season to the taxidermist. The results, change areas of the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo into shown in Fig. 1, obviously do not indicate the actual cultivated lands and to build up winter resorts for number of raptors killed in the area, as there are five tourists ! In the same Park, a road has been built which other taxidermists in the district of Siena, and as the passes right through the home range of the rare birds which have been poisoned, wounded but not subspecies of Brown Bear Ursus arctos marsicanus, retrieved, or just 'shot for fun', could not be included. and eight young Bears have been killed by cars (WWF, 1972, cf. Zunino & Herrero, 1972)•
50 >.
•••'• •
"•
+
1969-1970
•
1970-1971
o
1971 -1972
°
ILl
er
Q.
40 .."
I1
\/
The situation is not wholly desperate, however, as the management of the parks has noticeably improved during the last five years--except for the Parco Nazionale del Circeo, where hotels and villas are still flourishing. Other parks have been recently proposed, and there is reasonable hope that at least some of these will be created in the near future•
~
o (n a er
References 30
LOVARI, S. (1970). La strage dei rapcai. Boll. W.W.F. Ital.,
m U.
o attl
m :E Z
10
~+>~ "o
1(7), pp. 2-3. LOVARI, S• (1973). Il ruolo ecologico dei rapaci. Diana, 68 (1), pp. 63-5. RENZONI, A. (1971). Too many hunters in Italy? Biological Conservation, 4(1), pp. 70-1. W.W.F. (1972). Strade e Natura. Boll. W.W.F. Ital., 2(4), pp. 12-14. ZUNINO, F. & HERRERO,S. (1972). The status of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in Abruzzo National Park, Italy, 1971. Biological Conservation, 4(4), pp. 263-72, illustr. SANDRO LOVARI,
SHOOTING
SEASON
MONTHS
Fig. 1. Graphs showing numbers of birds of prey brought in to a Siena taxidermist in the different months of three consecutive shooting seasons.
However, one may estimate that roughly as many birds of prey are delivered to each of the other taxidermists, which would make a total of 1,020 specimens per year. Besides, if one supposes that only one out of five birds killed is brought to be stuffed--and this is probably a gross underestimation--the grand total would be about 5,000 raptors destroyed in one shooting season. When we remember that the district of Siena represents only 1/79 of the National Territory of Italy, we have to count in hundreds of thousands the total number killed every year throughout the whole of Italy. Only 0"58 per cent of Italian territory is administered as National Parks, although there are many more areas which should be so protected. Besides, speculation by promoters has already greatly damaged the
Istituto di Anatomia Comparata, Universit6 di Siena, Via delle Cerchia 3, Siena, Italy.
RESEARCH ON SOOTY TERNS IN SEYCHELLES
The British Natural Environment Council is at present sponsoring a three-years investigation of the ecology and management of exploited Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) colonies in the Seychelles• This study is under the direction of Professor G. M. Dunnet, of the University of Aberdeen, and is being conducted primarily in the large colony on Bird Island (Fig. 1). In the Seychelles, eggs of the Sooty Tern, and, to a lesser extent, those of the Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus), are collected commercially and sold to the general public, mainly on the largest island, Mah6. The Seychelles Government imposes a quota of eggs which may be taken from each island, and also a
235
(Sunderpura) falls under the 'C' category, the maxiSHOOTING AND THE PRESERVATIONOF WILDLIFE mum limit permitted being 72 acres (29 ha) under IN ITALY 'The Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960'. With a view to affording complete protection to the Italy is still very backward in wildlife protection Blackbuck, it has been declared a protected species in and needs much more effective and creative conservathe Gujarat State, and its shooting is completely tion planning to supervise shooting and improve the prohibited throughout the year. management of her natural resources. Recently, to establish a 'preserve' for Blackbuck in Every year more than 1,750,000 hunters roam Gujarat State, an area of ca 8 sq km of the Velavadar through the Italian countryside from the last Sunday in the Bhal region of the Bhavnagar division, where of August to the first day of January. They are allowed the species is found in good numbers, has been set to kill migratory and non-migratory birds, with the aside as a sanctuary for the Bla~kbuck under the exception of a few species which are protected 'on provision of the Gujarat Wild Animals and Wild paper' but in fact are often killed (Renzoni, 1971). Birds Protection Act, 1963. Government policy is to Shooting from hides goes on until 31 March and have as much land as possible under the forest cover, affects mainly thrushes, finches, wood pigeons, and but the Ceiling Act operates contrary to this policy, other migrants. for the land will go under cultivation--for cash crops. The few existing laws to protect game and superWe are interested to preserve the Blackbuck for its vise shooting are largely inoperative because they are scientific significance and educational value, for not obeyed: Italians lack education in the biological propagating the species, and for the immense joy it sciences, and most of them see animals simply as provides to nature lovers. It will be one of the saddest edible targets. Besides, they have little respect for the days for our country if this beautiful member of the law and least of all for laws that cannot be enforced. Indian fauna vanishes. Meanwhile it is suprising that, Game wardens are, in fact, still few in number and in order to save the species from extinction, the Trust are often ignorant of the fundamentals of ecology and has to pay land revenue in four figures, for the conservation. uncultivated land of the 'preserve', to the Revenue The absence of biological awareness at all levels is Department of the Government of Gujarat. well illustrated by the present attitude towards 'pests' Implementation of the Ceiling Act would result in t h a t is, birds of prey and other natural predators, wasteful slaughter of the voiceless Blackbuck. We never realize the importance of our natural wealth. which are killed indiscriminately (Lovari, 1970). Carelessness on our part would wipe out these Article No. 4 of the New Shooting Code classifies as animals from our land, instead of preserving them for 'pests' the Kite, the Goshawk, and the Sparrow Hawk, future generations. But the 'preserve' could be pro- in 'free territories' (common lands and shoots, where tected by an order of the Government, and a further everyone has the right to shoot). Article No. 38 also edict could help by extending it into the surrounding permits the killing of the Eagle Owl, but forbids the shooting of the other nocturnal raptors. However, the area. The merit of the Baroda Blackbuck 'preserve' is same Code permits the extermination of all birds of that it is in no way a happy hunting ground of the prey on private shoots, in reserves, and in all protected poaching fraternity; firearms are not allowed to be areas ! Hunters may kill pests only during the shooting carried within its boundaries (away from its limits, we season, whereas game wardens are allowed to destroy are helpless), and it is guarded by strict watchmen of them throughout the year and in any way which they proved integrity. Unfortunately, the people of the may wish--poisonous baits, traps, destruction of nests, neighbouring areas do not play their part in the etc. Every year, therefore, a large number of birds of protection of this 'preserve', and so it is our solemn prey are destroyed lawfully as well as unlawfully, with duty to warn the authorities concerned and all who are everyone happily forgetting that these predators play interested that the innocent Blackbuck is threatened an important ecological role in terrestrial ecosystems by limiting the number of rodents and insects. In fact, with extinction--at least as a wild species. birds of prey as a whole kill far more mice, voles, and G. M. OZA, other destroyers of nests and crops, than they do game General Education Centre, Maharaja Sayafi Rao University of Baroda, (Lovari, 1973). Baroda 2, India & AJITSINH C. GAEKWAD,
Maharaja Fatehsingh Zoo Trust, c/o Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda, India.
During three shooting seasons (1969-70, 1970-71, and 1971-72) I have recorded monthly the birds of prey delivered to a taxidermist in Siena, in spite of the fact that the local Committee for Hunting forbids the killing of all species of birds of prey. These include 20
236
Biological Conservation
species, and the majority of victims are Kestrels, four existing Italian parks (Parco Nazionale del Gran Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks, Barn Owls, and Little Paradiso, dello Stelvio, d'Abruzzo, and del Circeo). Owls. On the average, 170 birds of prey are delivered For instance, strong pressures are being exerted to per shooting season to the taxidermist. The results, change areas of the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo into shown in Fig. 1, obviously do not indicate the actual cultivated lands and to build up winter resorts for number of raptors killed in the area, as there are five tourists ! In the same Park, a road has been built which other taxidermists in the district of Siena, and as the passes right through the home range of the rare birds which have been poisoned, wounded but not subspecies of Brown Bear Ursus arctos marsicanus, retrieved, or just 'shot for fun', could not be included. and eight young Bears have been killed by cars (WWF, 1972, cf. Zunino & Herrero, 1972)•
50 >.
•••'• •
"•
+
1969-1970
•
1970-1971
o
1971 -1972
°
ILl
er
Q.
40 .."
I1
\/
The situation is not wholly desperate, however, as the management of the parks has noticeably improved during the last five years--except for the Parco Nazionale del Circeo, where hotels and villas are still flourishing. Other parks have been recently proposed, and there is reasonable hope that at least some of these will be created in the near future•
~
o (n a er
References 30
LOVARI, S. (1970). La strage dei rapcai. Boll. W.W.F. Ital.,
m U.
o attl
m :E Z
10
~+>~ "o
1(7), pp. 2-3. LOVARI, S• (1973). Il ruolo ecologico dei rapaci. Diana, 68 (1), pp. 63-5. RENZONI, A. (1971). Too many hunters in Italy? Biological Conservation, 4(1), pp. 70-1. W.W.F. (1972). Strade e Natura. Boll. W.W.F. Ital., 2(4), pp. 12-14. ZUNINO, F. & HERRERO,S. (1972). The status of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in Abruzzo National Park, Italy, 1971. Biological Conservation, 4(4), pp. 263-72, illustr. SANDRO LOVARI,
SHOOTING
SEASON
MONTHS
Fig. 1. Graphs showing numbers of birds of prey brought in to a Siena taxidermist in the different months of three consecutive shooting seasons.
However, one may estimate that roughly as many birds of prey are delivered to each of the other taxidermists, which would make a total of 1,020 specimens per year. Besides, if one supposes that only one out of five birds killed is brought to be stuffed--and this is probably a gross underestimation--the grand total would be about 5,000 raptors destroyed in one shooting season. When we remember that the district of Siena represents only 1/79 of the National Territory of Italy, we have to count in hundreds of thousands the total number killed every year throughout the whole of Italy. Only 0"58 per cent of Italian territory is administered as National Parks, although there are many more areas which should be so protected. Besides, speculation by promoters has already greatly damaged the
Istituto di Anatomia Comparata, Universit6 di Siena, Via delle Cerchia 3, Siena, Italy.
RESEARCH ON SOOTY TERNS IN SEYCHELLES
The British Natural Environment Council is at present sponsoring a three-years investigation of the ecology and management of exploited Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) colonies in the Seychelles• This study is under the direction of Professor G. M. Dunnet, of the University of Aberdeen, and is being conducted primarily in the large colony on Bird Island (Fig. 1). In the Seychelles, eggs of the Sooty Tern, and, to a lesser extent, those of the Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus), are collected commercially and sold to the general public, mainly on the largest island, Mah6. The Seychelles Government imposes a quota of eggs which may be taken from each island, and also a