Maltese hunters narrowly won a referendum that allows them to keep shooting endangered migratory European turtle doves. It was a terrible day for a vulnerable bird species. The population of European turtle doves has declined thirty percent in just the last sixteen years. And Malta's open season on migratory birds is largely to blame. Maltese hunters apparently think nothing of shooting birds that are on their way to breeding and raising a new generation. As a consequence, no new birds are born, and the species is heading toward extinction. Please join with me in demanding that the Parliament of Malta prohibit shooting of migratory birds.
To the Parliament of Malta:
We the undersigned understand that you are a sovreign nation. But your actions are threatening bird species that are beloved all over the world. In particular, the European turtle dove population has declined thirty percent in the past sixteen years. And your practices of shooting migratory birds is largely responsible for that decline. You have allowed a few hunters to decimate a population of birds just weeks before it has the chance to raise a new generation. We realize that this issue was put before the voters, but it is empirically obvious that a few unscrupulous hunters have no right to decimate an entire bird population. Turtle doves do not belong to you; the entire world has rights in them. Please prohibit the killing of migratory birds in Malta.
