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Gun-happy louts targeting black kites should be hauled before the courts

Why has there been no deluge of letters condemning the weekend warriors who have decided to take pot shots at defenceless black kites on Yeung Chau island, off Sai Kung, in order to liven up their war games?

These overgrown boys with toys need a lesson in conservation, and to see them hit where it hurts, in their wallets, by carting them before the courts and handing out the maximum penalty for disturbing wildlife would be wonderful to witness.

The plan of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to send out patrols sounds admirable, but its track record in dealing with the litter louts who fly paper kites in kite-flying areas in country parks and leave behind a mess of strings and broken kites for other visitors to navigate, leaves me somewhat sceptical about the department's efficiency.

The only solution is for Yeung Chau to be declared a nature reserve, off limits to all humans with immediate effect.

It is obvious these gun-happy hooligans need to be prevented from carrying out their destructive behaviour before the kite colony is decimated, so why does the government not act decisively instead of, as usual, dragging its feet in slow motion.

Is it afraid the property developers might not approve if the island is removed from their greedy grasp?

Until the government decides to support the conservationists, and protect the birds and their island, hopefully other 'weekend soldiers' will decide to police their own ranks and persuade those involved in such cruel and thoughtless behaviour to desist from causing further damage to their already tarnished reputations. Their motto needs to be 'think before you shoot' not 'shoot before you think'.

Joan Miyaoka, Sha Tin

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