Briefly about the project
"African Odyssey"

The Stork Shooting Case Goes On

Today, Czech Radio 2 - PRAGUE representatives have delivered a protest document to the French Embassy in Prague. Thus, they react to death of black stork Hynek that was recently shot in France. The protest document included letters from angry listeners, too.
The African Odyssey project developed by Czech radio 2 Prague included satellite-based tracking of the entire black stork family. However, one of the babies, male Hynek, has been shot to death in south western France on the 27th of September by a local hunter.
Hynek is not the only victim of vandal hunters. Three other storks were killed in France in 1998, including female stork Lea. Lea was flying to Africa with the communication set as well. Her journey had been followed by zoologists from Belgium, Luxembourg and France.
As far as France is concerned, its territory seems to be the most dangerous phase of migrant birds' journey to their winter habitat. This applies not to black storks only. The law declaring bird species protection (including black storks) is obviously not respected. Besides, the French parliament have recently accepted a law that violates the EEC regulations as it extends the hunting season. As a result, migrant birds are slaughtered.
Supported by African Odyssey project sponsor (the DHL company), the Czech Radio 2 Prague crew leaves Prague for France this week to produce a report.

Miroslav Bobek, African Odyssey project coordinator

Note: For additional info, search the Internet: African Odyssey website at http://capi.internet.cz, Zdenek Velíšek comments at http://capi.internet.cz/zpravy.dne/velisek.htm and LPO site at http://www.pact.fr/lpo-anjou/ACTU/LOICHAS.HTM.


Texts by Miroslav Bobek and František Pojer
Photo by Khalil Baalbaki, Gérard Jadoul and archive of Africka odysea
Design by Tom Vild
Page by Lenka Hampapová
Supported by the company Internet servis, a.s.

Africkaodysea@Internet.cz