Turtle Dove Shooting Breaks (UK based company offers...) (1 Viewer)

[phil baber]

Turtle Doves used to be common in the UK. Now they are rare and decreasing across Europe. So imagine my astonishment when I found a British company advertising shooting holidays to Morocco to lay waste to Turtle Doves. Apparently they are only shot 4 days a week during the breeding season(!) to "maintain a healthy wild population..."
If you feel as upset about this as I do, feel free to email the company via the link. And also spread this information far and wide.
Have been spreading this info to all my birding friends on FBook. But am sure this execreble news will find a bigger audience here.Thanks for any voice you can lend to publicising and condemning this lamentable "long weekend break":C:t:
http://www.davis-bowring.co.uk/index.php/sporting/Moroccan-Shooting.html

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Well said Phil, I have also added a thread onto the news feed urging folks to register thier disgust.

 

[Johnny1]

I think they say somthing like " a nice short shooting break before the partridge shooting season begins"

 

[phil baber]

Well said Phil, I have also added a thread onto the news feed urging folks to register thier disgust.

Brilliant Daniel! This needs spreading far and wide...||

One of the bird organisations against bird slaughter suggested this standard email. To be sent to the email address in the above link.

"The offer on your website for sportsmen to shoot Turtle Doves in Morocco is, at a time when the Turtle Dove populations in Europe are in sharp decline, nothing less than obscene.
In Britain, this once-regular and most welcome migrant is now on the brink of extinction. In other European countries the situation is scarcely better.
I therefore urge you to withdraw this trip offer immediately if you have any love and respect for the countryside.
I draw your attention to Operation Turtle Dove - saving a bird on the brink for further information http://operationturtledove.org/
Sincerely
(Name & address)"

 

[dwatsonbirder]

My personal take:

Dear Sirs,

I would like to register my disgust at the "holiday" that you are offering in Morocco. The turtle dove has undertaken a decline of 30% in three generations across the entirety of its European range, whilst in the UK, the Turtle Dove has undergone a 69% decline in population size and a 25% contraction in breeding range in Britain over the last 30 years (Browne et al., 2004). This species is iconic of British summertime, with its beautiful, mournful song sadly lacking in the countryside as a result of persecution and loss of habitat. The species is currently listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN redlist, but is fast approaching the thresholds for "Vulnerable" (Birdlife International, 2012).

I believe this "holiday" to be socially and morally reprehensive, further adding to the long list of challenges that our migrant birds face on their commute to and from Africa. There are several funded projects currently taking place in the UK to reverse the downward trend of this species, and what you are offering with your Moroccan trip is flying directly in the face of conservation efforts. The species is being persecuted in many European countries, though has not yet been awarded proper protection, contrary to scientific findings.

I hope that you reconsider your stance on Turtle dove hunting, and withdraw this trip.

Yours,


Feel free to use it folks!

 

[seanalfi]

This is disgusting. I have sent an email (amended from the two above, thank you) and I hope many, many more will too.

See the following for infor around the campaign launched earlier this year:
http://operationturtledove.org/the-project/project-3

I wonder whether this 'sporting' company were on the radar of the RSPB and other partners involved? One of their aims is to work with partners on the migratory fly ways to tackle activities such as this - this seems to me exactly the right approach, whilst searching for tighter legislative controls - working with local people where hunting is culturally embedded. To find out this disgraceful company is based in Lancashire is sickening.

Well done on raising the alarm.

 

[simmojunior]

I have sent my own e-mail. The main thing I can't understand is why anyone would think paying 3,200 euros (excluding flights and accommodation) to shoot a vulnerable bird was a good idea.

 

[seanalfi]

Apologies - I see Phil already alerted us to the Operation Turtle Dove link.

I think it would be beneficial to include it in any emails sent

 

[phil baber]

That's a much better email Daniel!

 

[Sue Wright]

Many thanks indeed for highlighting this disgraceful and sordid 'holiday', phil and many thanks for the perfect letter, Daniel!

All the best to us all to STOP this pronto!

Sue

 

[simmojunior]

I have just received this response: Oliver, Thanks for bringing the plight of this endangered specie to our attention. The trips we advertise have now been withdrawn from the website and I look forward to reading the Operation Turtle dove Web site.

Fantastic News!

 

[seanalfi]

I have also received the following:

Dear Mr ...,


The web site gives the impression that we organise lots of trips to Morocco. In fact we have only been one, about 15 years ago and the numbers allowed to be shot were restricted (quite rightly) and the season is short.

However, like you I have tremendous respect and love for all wild birds and I have asked our web hosts to remove the Moroccan section from our web site.

Thank you for drawing the good work of Operation Turtle Dove to our attention and I look forward to reading more about this beautiful bird.


Shows that action can work...

I think it might be wise to halt a mass email campaign at this stage. To their credit they replied very quickly, and seemingly direct personal responses.

I will certainly be monitoring the website to check that the promise to delete this part of this site is enacted swiftly.

 

[seanalfi]

And my response:

Dear ....,

Many thanks for your swift and personal response. It is very much appreciated as was the background to the trip you offered. I am sure that you have received a number of emails this afternoon. This was initiated by a posting to a public forum. I have since posted an excerpt of your response to me (please let me know if you would like me to remove this) and asked for other users of this forum not to inundate you with more emails.

I am very glad to hear of your respect for wild birds, and in particular for this enigmatic summer visitor that is in real danger of being lost from our countryside forever. Six years ago I knew of 5 local sites that reliably had breeding pairs, all have since disappeared. I hope you understand why so many people feel so strongly that a British company could be engaged in this sort of activity precisely at the time considerable effort and money, much of it through charitable donations and volunteer efforts is being engaged to reverse this species decline.

Kind Regards,

 

[simmojunior]

I remain concerned though that they have simply promised to remove it from their website rather than cancel the trip. I have replied asking for clarification.

 

[TheBirdGarden]

A surpringly fast turn of events

 

[seanalfi]

Good point... It would be good to hear the response.

 

[joannec]

Well done Phil, for bringing this to everyone's attention! A good result and quickly, it seems.

 

[phil baber]

Seems to have gone well on FBook and other sites too. I got the same email.
Yes. I think it's a good idea to keep a close eye on what happens next.
I, for one, will be checking back regularly.
I wasn't the only one trying to publicise this. But thanks ever so much to everyone who got involved here, and took personal action in sending an email and, also, pushing the story across various networks.:t:

Vive la tourterelle des bois!

 

[James Thomas]

Apparently they are only shot 4 days a week during the breeding season(!) to "maintain a healthy wild population..."
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To quote their brochure; "Every type of shot is taken and it is not uncommon to fire off 250 cartridges for as few as 35 birds!"

The "holiday" is for September this year so assuming places have been filled it will happen. I imagine it will also be offered under the counter in future.

This is the "team"; http://www.davisandbowringsporting.com/team.html

Should anyone wish to choke their mailboxes their emails are; [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

There's also the photo team who may be unaware;
[email protected].
http://www.fieldsportsphotographer.com/contact.html
http://www.gallery.ablundell.co.uk/contactform.html

 

[phil baber]

Good work James!:t: