Spain, an international benchmark against illegal bird hunting

Spain has become an international benchmark in the fight against illegal bird hunting, having reduced the illegal killing of some species by more than 50% over the last decade.

This is the conclusion of the report “The Killing 3.0,” prepared by the environmental organization BirdLife International and released this Thursday. The document assesses the progress of 46 countries against the Rome Strategic Plan (2020-2030), adopted within the framework of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS/UNEP), which seeks to reduce illegal bird hunting, capture, and trade by 50% by the end of this decade.

Based on data from the 2016 report (‘The Killing 2.’), which estimated the deaths of around 26 million birds annually due to illegal practices, the new research indicates that 83% of countries are not on track to meet that reduction target; 19% have seen their numbers worsen since 2020, particularly in Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, and Libya; and only eight countries (17%) are showing significant progress.

Illegal bird hunting, driven globally primarily by commercial gain, unsustainable ‘traditional’ practices (such as parany or the capture of songbirds for caging), their use as pets, or predator control, is the second leading cause of migratory bird decline after habitat loss.

Endangered species such as the European turtle dove and the Egyptian vulture, or others such as the common goldfinch or the quail, are some of those facing critical threats from shooting, poisoning or illegal trapping.

SPAIN, MODEL OF SUCCESS

The report notes that Spain is one of the few countries that has made notable progress, highlighting the definitive ban in 2018 on hunting finches for cages and singing competitions, which reduced illegal captures by hundreds of thousands annually.

Thanks to the measures implemented to combat wildlife poisoning, a continued reduction in mortality episodes from this massive, non-selective method has been recorded in Spain since 2010.

In addition, innovative projects have been launched that have helped drive the adoption of measures against illegal bird hunting and capture, such as LIFE Veneno and LIFE Guardianes de la Naturaleza, which have strengthened collaboration between NGOs, law enforcement officials, and public administrations, and have reduced illegal wildlife hunting by between 50% and 74% since 2020.

The creation and training of specialized environmental units within the various police forces (Seprona, forestry and environmental agents, regional police, etc.) and the State Attorney General’s Office, as well as the detection and forensic work of the Wildlife Recovery Centers, have led to improved detection, investigation, and prosecution of wildlife crimes.

CHALLENGES

However, Spain remains faced with some challenges that jeopardize the results achieved. Attempts to reinstate and legalize some prohibited illegal hunting practices, such as parany (glue hunting) in Valencia or the capture of finches associated with silvestrismo, could put the country back in the situation it was in in 2016, when high rates of illegal mortality were recorded.

Furthermore, the level of involvement of the autonomous communities is inconsistent, and shortfalls have been detected in the allocation of resources for the training and specialization of services responsible for combating environmental violations or wildlife recovery centers, essential elements for obtaining evidence in legal proceedings opened in cases of crimes or violations against wildlife.

Furthermore, some forms of hunting, capture, and illegal bird trade, such as the destruction of nests of migratory species, require extensive awareness-raising and commitment from public and private stakeholders to ensure the conservation of species experiencing significant population losses (more than 50% in some cases), such as swallows, house martins, and swifts.

Similarly, hunting of declining species such as the turtle dove and quail results in the annual loss of thousands of birds that should be classified as endangered, according to BirdLife.

Furthermore, Spain continues to be a hub for the illegal trafficking of birds of prey to the Middle East and for the entry into Europe of exotic birds from Latin America. This is compounded by online trade, which makes the internet a black spot for numerous species.

“Spain demonstrates that, with political will, an efficient regulatory framework, and cooperation between different actors, change is possible. But we urgently need to harmonize and increase resources across all Spanish regions and eradicate illegal practices that are still protected by tradition or a distorted interpretation of regulations,” according to David de la Bodega, co-author of the study and a technician in the Environmental Governance Area of ​​SEO/BirdLife.