Illegal songbird trapping on Cyprus - CABS spring 2009 report (limestick, bird, police, poaching)

CABS Operations against bird trappers on Cyprus

The Greek-Cypriot south of the new EU member state Cyprus has become a death trap for the birds which migrate across the Eastern Mediterranean. Countless trappers set up their nets, and above all lime sticks, in almond and olive groves, in gardens and in the macchia in order to trap migrant song birds resting on passage. The main victims of the lime sticks are warblers and thrushes; but cuckoos, owls and other protected birds are also caught. The trapped birds are destined for the pot, not infrequently in restaurants, where they are sold at a high price as delicacies.

Bird trapping has long been banned on the island the relevant legislation was indeed tightened up on accession to the EU in 2004 but the poachers are unimpressed and continue to break the law. Some offenders scarcely bother to conceal their trapping sites, not least because large sections of the rural population have little awareness of their wrongdoing. The police and other agencies are not idle; but they do not have enough personnel to effectively combat poaching.

The Lega Abolizione Caccia (League for the Abolition of Hunting) our most important Italian partner organisation has been active on Cyprus since 1999. In several operations financed by CABS, the volunteer Italian conservationists have dismantled several thousand lime sticks and dozens of large mist nets. From spring 2008 onwards a CABS bird protection camp will also be operated on the island.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Birds
• Cyprus
• EU
• trapping
• ambelopoulia
• CABS
• birdlife
• rspb
• blackcap
• nicosia
• animals
• migrations
• hunting
• poaching
• net
• limestick
• songbirds
• fknk
• Malta
• vögel
• vogelschutz
• vogelzug
• vogelmord
• komitee
• cabs
• vogeljagd
• bird

[hoppydoffton]

Scum of the earth these trappers need to be strung up in a tree and left to die

[cellsnbirds]

@th3o46 @lampr1ana So it's okay to commit crime then? No, it isn't.

[cellsnbirds]

@1stREMESquaddie More like too many criminals in Cyprus with nothing better to do than slaughter wildlife to me.

[1stREMESquaddie]

Too many rich Germans with nothing better to do it seems to me. Why don't they pay for the damage caused to Malta during WWII instead????

[eagleman193]

who cares theres plenty of birds

[TheSnipermalta]

@hoppydoffton so does ur mom



[savvakissss]

Ok, I agree, a lot of rare birds are trapped as well, I think the most effective way to limit bird trapping is to find and report the luxuary restaurants birds are served. Since bird trapping was banned they became very expensive (I know it's hard to believe but some species no bigger than 200 gr are sold about 5euros each!) 90% of birds trappers do it for making money. Before the ban they were so cheap that trading them was limited. serving wild birds is most urgent to be banned in my opinion!

[TheMidnadarkness]

why are they doing this to them

[cellsnbirds]

@savvakissss A lot of traditions are harmful, and mindlessly perpetuating a tradition simply because it is a tradition isn't that intelligent, now is it? Also, no it is not legal in Malta either. It is illegal throughout Europe for the simple reason that it does a lot of harm to wild species. End of story.

[savvakissss]

@hoppydoffton You don't understand , it's a tradition! It's because it's illegal that makes those birds so expensive... If using less number of traps was legal, the problem wouldn't be that great because they wouldn't trap birds for trading... I know people who became millionaires from bird trapping because it's illegal and they worth 5 euros each..

[savvakissss]

Trapping birds is a tradition on the island, and it is permitted in Malta as far as I know... Trapping 20-30 birds for domestic use shouldn't be banned but because it's illegal, they are very expensive (about 5 euros each) and this makes people catching them for making money.. I think that trading them should remein banned...

[MrZiRoN1075]

@apoelfanatic ellinas?