Bird trapping on British bases has decreased by 97% since the start of recording statistics in 2016, as reported at a press conference held on Friday at the Dhekelia Police Station. Last year, the Bases Police made 9 arrests for bird trapping.
According to a statement from the Bases, during the press conference, the Anti-Bird Trapping Team of the British Border Police reported that “a 97% reduction in this criminal act has been observed since the start of statistics in 2016. There has also been a 5% reduction in bird trapping cases compared to last year.”
It added that "the results confirm the commitment of the British Bases Command to combat crime, while the Police reiterated their promise to disrupt bird trapping sites and arrest those who want to profit from this activity."
Senior Lieutenant Colonel Fanos Christodoulou, who oversees the special Community Action Team (CAT), said that "we will again work very closely with Bird Life Cyprus and the Committee Against Bird Slaughter to combat the trapping of vultures. To this end, we will continue to develop our technology, with drones, closed-circuit surveillance and night vision goggles and any other modern means of detection," he said.
He added, "this is a serious crime and we will continue to deal with it with every means at our disposal."
According to the Bases' announcement, "during a live demonstration of the Team's capabilities in the area of the Dhekelia Police Station, trained police officers simulated a bird trapping raid. They also demonstrated some of the methods used to apprehend trappers who use nets in their attempt to trap migratory birds through the Bases."
It is noted that "in the weeks before a net trapping period, OKD police officers are on the ground within the eastern areas of the Bases, identifying potential trapping locations and disrupting infrastructure that has been created."
As Mr. Christodoulou explained, "before the birds begin to migrate, trappers will clear large areas so that they can set up nets, in which the birds will then be caught as they fly. We have assembled a team of experts and in close cooperation with NGOs we are able to identify locations within the British Bases that we believe are being prepared by trappers and we are dismantling them," he said.
He also noted that "we will have other areas under surveillance and in case the trappers enter them we will arrest them. Last year, the Base Police made 9 arrests for bird trapping, a number that is considered satisfactory compared to the 47 we had in 2016-17 and the 13 in 2023-2024," he said.
Responding to a question, Mr. Christodoulou said that “there is now less bird trapping within the British Bases as good work is being done to eliminate the problem. Fewer bird trapping sites lead to fewer arrests,” he said, adding that “the key point is that trappers are identified and arrested, which will continue next season.”
It is noted that according to the announcement of the British Bases, "the migratory season for the red-crowned crane is observed in September and October, and then there is the migratory season for the thrush, which begins in November and ends in February."
Source: KYPE
