The Civil Guard brings the author of the act to justice, typified as a crime in the Penal Code
Agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard of Menorca have been able to locate the alleged author of the destruction of several swallow nests in a building located in the town of Alaior, which took place in the middle of last June. Now, this man will have to answer to justice for this fact, typified as a crime in the Penal Code, and could face a fine ranging between 5,001 and 200,000 euros.
The events occurred when the alleged perpetrator of the events destroyed a total of five swallow nests that were under the balcony of a neighbor on the street Carrer des Melians, in the aforementioned Menorcan town. It was precisely this neighbor who filed a complaint with the Seprona of the Civil Guard.
After searching for witnesses and taking testimonies, Seprona confirmed the identity of this citizen, who apparently admitted the facts and is now being investigated for an alleged crime against flora and fauna, according to local press reports. Swallows, house martins and swifts are insectivorous birds protected by law, both by Spanish regulations and by a European directive, because of its beneficial action against insect pests.
The destruction of nests of protected birds, both with young and empty, is considered a serious offense by both national and European legislation and the accused can face a fine that would range between 5,001 and 200,000 euros.
what the law says
Royal Decree 139/11 literally establishes: “It is forbidden to intentionally kill, harm, annoy or disturb wild animals, whatever the method used or the phase of their biological cycle. This prohibition includes their retention and live capture, the destruction, damage, collection and retention of their nests, their young or their eggs, the latter even when emptyas well as the possession, transport, traffic and trade of living or dead specimens or their remains, including foreign trade & rdquor ;.
Therefore, neither tenants nor homeowners are allowed to remove the nests of protected birds, such as swallows or swifts, especially now that ithey begin laying eggs and raising their chicks, before returning to Africa on a journey of several thousand kilometers.
The importance of swallows, swifts, martins and other insectivorous birds lies in the large number of insects they consume on a daily basis and which allow numerous agricultural pests to be kept at bay. Without this massive ingestion of insects, damage to agriculture could multiply, so these birds are considered essential for the protection of crops and food security itself.
Anyone who witnesses the destruction of nests can file the corresponding complaint with the Service for the Protection of Nature (Seprona) of the Civil Guard.
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Environment section contact: [email protected]