Research conducted last autumn by the hunters’ lobby FKNK does not justify spring hunting or prove that hunting for turtle doves is sustainable, BirdLife’s head of conservation Nicholas Barbara said. Last week, FKNK said in a statement that research conducted last year by the organisation proved that spring hunting was sustainable. The positive results of the research led to the lifting of a five-year moratorium on spring hunting for turtle doves this spring, the statement said. The research, seen by Times of Malta, was a survey of 100 shot turtle doves, with hunters self-reporting by SMS whether it was an adult or juvenile. Hunters were given leaflets containing guidelines to distinguish adults from juvenile turtle doves. FKNK CEO Lino Farrugia said the research “showed that the harvested juveniles were 28 per cent more than the adults, which juvenile to adult ratio of hunted turtle doves indicates another positive gauge of the species’ sustainability”. The research is being repeated this September, Farrugia said. However, BirdLife’s Barbara said the data proves nothing about spring hunting. “In the autumn, juvenile turtle doves would have already hatched in the summer and so...