The results of the bird protection tour conducted for 75 days from the end of August to the middle of November, thus covering the entire migratory period of the birds, were announced today by the Committee against Bird Slaughter (CABS).
According to the results, as stated in a Commission statement, 29 volunteers from Cyprus, England, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany and even Australia took part in the tour and helped save the birds, collect 2596 sparrows, 53 nets and release 69 birds, including species such as the endemic species of Cyprus, Trypomazis.
As it is noted, “14 people have been arrested on the spot and have been fined by the Police of the British Bases, by the Fund for Hunting and Fauna of Cyprus and the Poaching Squad. These data show that xoverga are still widely used, although we must say that they are a little less than the usual number for the time. However, the nets are increasing in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus, while they are decreasing at the same time in the areas of the British bases ".
The Committee against Bird Slaughter also points out that no matter how high the fines are, without law enforcement they can not bring significant results and during the autumn of 2018 it was difficult to find a team to intervene in cases of illegal trapping from both team from the Poison Fighting Ladder as well as from the Hunting and Fauna Service.
The announcement of the organization in detail:
"The Republic of Cyprus is once again turning a blind eye to trapping," says CABS.
The British Base Police are doing a very important job against the illegal trapping of wild birds and have set the bar very high. The Republic of Cyprus is doing the exact opposite, turning a blind eye to this crime. The Avian Slaughter Commission is today announcing the results of a 75-day bird protection tour from late August to mid-November, covering the entire bird migration period.
29 volunteers from Cyprus, England, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany and even Australia took part in the tour and helped save the birds, collecting 2596 woodpeckers, 53 and the release of 69 birds, including species such as the endemic species of Cyprus, Trypomazis. Thanks to the experience of the volunteers, 14 people have been arrested on the spot and have received a fine from the Police of the British Bases, from the Fund for Hunting and Fauna of Cyprus and the Poaching Squad.
These data show that xoverga are still widely used, although we must say that they are a little less than the usual number for the time. However, the nets are increasing in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus, while they are decreasing at the same time in the areas of the British bases, confirming what the Cyprus Bird Association stated on Monday, March 18 in their press release for the illegal trapping. That is, there has been a worrying increase in illegal trapping through the use of nets during the autumn period of 2018 in the Republic of Cyprus.
"All of our evidence of illegal trapping in the fall is lower than in all other years, but it should not be misinterpreted," said Alexander Heyd, the agency's director general. "This general reduction is only due to the strict law enforcement and proper policing applied today by the British Base Police, which managed to stop 2% of the illegal trapping in just 80 years, regaining control in areas" forts "For poachers such as Kavo Pyla and Agios Nikolaos, but poachers are now turning to areas of the Republic, where they are facing the lowest policing ever."
The Committee against Bird Slaughter also points out that no matter how high the fines are, without law enforcement they can not bring significant results and during the autumn of 2018 it was difficult to find a team to intervene in cases of illegal trapping from both team from the Poison Fighting Ladder as well as from the Hunting and Fauna Service. Out of the 140 complaints to the competent authorities, 102 have been investigated, and only in 14 of them there have been prosecutions of violators of the law. This is only 10% of all cases. In the remaining 90% of cases of illegal trapping, poachers went unpunished.
"This is not the first time that the Cypriot authorities have turned a blind eye to the issue of illegal trapping. This happened in the 80s as well as after Cyprus joined the EU in 2004. Whenever we have good news and the reduction of illegal trapping, poachers raise their voices and the government downplays any law enforcement effort, allowing the continuation of this unpleasant business. But we will have our eyes on fourteen ".
The organization is currently conducting bird protection tours in Lebanon, Cyprus, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Malta.
You can download the results from the autumn season for Cyprus here: http://www.komitee.de/sites/www.komitee.de/files/wiki/2016/02/Cyprus%20Field%20Report%20Autumn%202018%20(en).pdf