TN74 CABS’ Andrea Rutigliano on the illegal hunting of songbirds in Italy

A conversation with Andrea Rutigliano an Italian team leader working with the Bonn-based Committee against Bird Slaughter (CABS – or Komitee gegen den Vogelmord in German). The conversation was initiated by CABS’ David Conlin to highlight the shocking and disgraceful illegal hunting of (especially) Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches, Bramblings and Hawfinches at the Colle san Zino, a pass in the Alps used by millions of European birds on migration, vividly shown in a YouTube video embedded below. In our conversation Andrea talks about the problems of ‘derogations’ (exceptions to the law) passed by the Italian government, the pathetically lax method Italian hunters use to tally the day’s kill, and an email campaign CABS is running to send a protest to Italian Environment Minister Corrado Clini.

TN74 CABS on the slaughter of migrating songbirds in Italy [ 24:39 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show Notes

• CABS: Massacre of migrating birds in Italy: http://www.komitee.de/en/actions-and-projects/italy/massacre-colle-san-zeno
• CABS online protest mail against illegal bird hunting: http://www.komitee.de/content/protestmail-clini

CABS volunteers during the anti-poaching camp in Brescia – Autumn 2001

The Committee Against Bird Slaughter – CABS (Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V.) is an action and operational society. By this we mean that we have a small administration and executive board, without subordinate elements, capable of rapid reaction whenever and wherever required. The route from concept to final decision and implementation is often very short so that when wildlife is acutely endangered we can act rapidly. We have achieved a great deal since our foundation in 1975 through the implementation of this concept.

We intervene in particular where bird trappers, hunters or animal traders commit offences against current nature protection legislation in Europe. We are always concerned to harmonise closely our activities with the responsible police, forest or customs authorities. In addition, through initiatives at parliamentary level, we attempt to achieve improvements in the legal guidelines for wildlife, nature and species protection. We distant ourselves fundamentally from militant actions or measures that do not comply with the prevailing legislation in the country of operations.