Welcome to the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)
Aachen bird of prey case: High Court confirms hunter’s sentence (12.03.10)
 The bird of prey case involving a hunter from Düren in the Rhineland is now closed. On 11 March 2010 the Cologne High Court confirmed the sentence handed down by the Aachen District Court in September 2009.
In January 2007, a CABS team observed and filmed the man with a poisoned Common Buzzard and a Goshawk cage trap. In the following months more than 80 dead birds of prey were found in his hunting reserve, many of them were proved to have been poisoned.
The Aachen District Court judges were convinced of the man’s guilt. With yesterday’s high court decision the sentence now comes into force.
You can read more on this case here »»
Southern Italy: the 2010 bird protection camps have begun (09.03.10)
 The bird protection camps run by CABS and its Italian partners in Southern Italy have begun. Activists have been operating on the islands off the southern Italian coast since the 9th of March. More than 50 nature and bird lovers will participate in operations until around mid- May.
Operations start on the island of Ponza where CABS teams search for trapping sites that the police will then ambush. From the end of March operations on the islands of Ischia and Procida, as well as on the Amalfi coast. These will be conducted by our partners from the LIPU and the WWF game wardens.
You can read more about these operations here
The protest campaign is in the final stages - Say NO to extension of the hunting season in Italy. 5,000 mails already sent … (21.02.2010)
 The government headed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi plans a drastic extension of the hunting season in Italy. Instead of the present four months the hunters in the Apennine Peninsula are to be permitted to hunt birds for seven months of the year. Species particularly affected are Turtle Dove, Quail and thrushes.
A decision on the new draft law is awaited at the beginning of March.
Over 5,000 mails have now been sent and it is hoped that they will have the desired impact. Let’s make a last effort NOW!
You can find more information and prepared online mails here »»
Soest (NRW): CABS file official complaint against falconer (05.03.10)
 The Committee Against Bird Slaughter filed an official complaint with the police on 5 March. The complaint is against the falconer from the Soest area who set out bird of prey traps and the suspicion of killing a Common Buzzard.
The man was observed tending to three Goshawk traps in a copse near Bad Waldliesborn - immediately adjacent to a Goshawk nest.
Our most recent press statement dated 05.03.2010 is here »»
Our press release of 28n February as well as full photo coverage can be seen here »»
National television coverage of bird of prey persecution now online (02.03.10)
 On 28 February the popular political programme Westpol from the West German TV station (WDR) reported on illegal bird of prey persecution in the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW). A TV team accompanied CABS members on operations and documented this knotty and more and more widespread problem.
In a large scale operation, CABS teams searched hunting reserves in the Rhineland, Münster area and East Westphalia and uncovered numerous cases of serious environmental crime.
The programme is available in German online on the WDR website - click on ‘Jagd auf Greifvögel’ (hunting of raptors) in the side menu.
Another online contribution concerning the case of 15 poisoned birds of prey and three illegal cage traps in the Kleve district can be seen in German online here »»
Bird of prey trapper in Borken: state court confirms hunter’s sentence (01.03.10)
 On 1 March the Münster state administrative court confirmed the sentence imposed by a lower court and ordered the payment of a fine of 3,000 Euros. The hunter had been found guilty of illegally trapping a protected bird of prey. In April 2008 a CABS team covertly observed a bird cage trap for several days and filmed and caught the offender red-handed.
Shortly before his final court appearance the hunter caused a sensation when it was revealed that he had written privately to one of the lay jurors, whereupon his lawyer discontinued the defence.
The local press have covered the case in detail. Read more (in German) in the Borkener Zeitung
Online protest against spring hunting on Malta (25.01.2010)
 It would appear that the Maltese government may permit the resumption of spring hunting, at least for the 2010 season. This is an extraordinary move considering the judgement by the European Court of Justice in September 2009, which found the island state guilty of contravening European Union law in this respect.
Officially only Turtle Dove and Common Quail may be hunted but, as in the past, a lifting of the ban on spring hinting of these species will open the door to illegal hunting of protected bird species on pre-nuptial migration such as birds of prey, Golden Oriole, Bee-eater and many others.
Our partner organisation, BirdLife Malta, has initiated an online protest campaign targeting the Maltese Prime Minister. We call on all our members, friends and supporters to join the cause.
The BirdLife online petition can be signed here »»
"Der Falke" reports on CABS operations on Malta (30.12.09)
 Poaching in the Mediterranean is sadly a long-running issue in the Mediterranean. The German birding magazine 'Der Falke' (The Falcon) has devoted the greater part of its very readable January 2010 issue to this subject. Themes include the trapping of Ortolan Buntings to satisfy French gourmets as well as the effects of the spring hunting ban on Malta. In a well-illustrated six page article our colleagues David Conlin und Axel Hirschfeld report on the results of the CABS bird protection camps in 2009 (The article is in German).
'Der Falke' magazine is available in most good newsagents in Germany, or can be ordered direct from the Aula-Verlag.
A small consolation for English-speaking readers. The December issue of the BirdLife Malta magazine ‘Bird’s Eye View also devotes most of its space to illegal hunting on Malta. It can be ordered from BirdLife Malta.
The magazine includes a short profile on CABS which you can read here >>
We have moved! (01.01.10)
 The Committee Against Bird Slaughter has grown out of its old office where it has been for many years. Now we have moved to somewhat more roomy quarters.
From 1 January 2010 our new address is:
Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V.
An der Ziegelei 8
53127 Bonn
Our telephone and telefax numbers are unchanged.
Review of activities 2009 – CABS presents its annual report (21.12.2009)
 In 2009 more than 180 nature and animal lovers from all over Europe (and beyond) participated in Committee operations in France, Germany, Italy, on Cyprus and Malta and located and destroyed more than 20,000 bird traps and nets. In court cases brought by us in Italy we have prevented the trapping and hunting of tens of thousands of birds and our successful lobbying in Brussels has ensured that the legalisation of trapping with lime sticks in Spain has been stalled.
Read the full report here »»
CABS operational schedule 2010
 The provisional timetable for events and operations in 2010 has now been published and circulated to members.
Once again our efforts will be primarily concentrated on - but not confined to - anti-poaching operations on Cyprus and Malta and iun Italy
For dates and locations see the timetable here »»
Sardinia: the bird protection camp ends - 11,310 snares collected (13.12.09)
 A bird protection camp run by our Italian partner organisation LAC took place on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia from 5 to 13 December 2009. The 13 participants searched for and dismantled horsehair snares illegally set out in the mountains north of Cagliari, used to trap countless thrushes Robins and other song birds.
This was the second camp this year on Sardinia and the activists found and dismantled 11,310 snares. The operation was financed by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter.
Our online diary, with daily information on the operation, is here »»
Italy - a topical TV documentary on bird trapping in Brescia (09.12.09)
 On 8 December 2009 the Italian TV programme “Striscia - la notizia” broadcast a programme on bird trapping and operations by CABS in Brescia in northern Italy. The daily satirical programme is a favourite in Italy. “Striscia” is one of the last independent and critical TV programmes in Italy, which is otherwise dominated by Berlusconi’s media empire.
The film, in Italian, can be seen online here »»
Successful protest campaign in Spain - trapping installations remain closed (03.12.09)
 Although the regional parliament in Valencia decided in September 2009 to permit once again bird trapping with lime sticks on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, the installations will not be activated for the time being. This is because the pressure caused by the protest campaign organised by CABS and local environmentalists was so effective that the local authorities have refused to issues the necessary individual licences.
Indeed, at the end of November the Valencian government instructed the responsible authorities to prosecute offenders. We must ensure that the situation remains so and we will initiate new protest and monitoring measures in 2010.
Read more here »»
Help us to help the birds (01.12.2009)
 The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) is the only organisation in Europe specialising in field operations to combat bird poaching and trapping throughout the European Union. In the course of our annual bird protection camps we locate and remove many more than 20,000 bird traps and nets. We also fight in the courts against the illegal authorisation of hunting in contravention of EU legislation and, in campaigns and by lobbying, strive for better protection of migrant birds.
YOU can help us too - become a sponsor member of CABS today!
More information and membership application form here »»
Too many membership commitments? Even a one-off sum is of great importance and helps to fund our operations, campaigns or treatment of injured birds. Support our vital operations by a donation by bank transfer or credit card.
Hawfinch hunting - EU initiates process against Italy (23.11.09)
 The European Commission has now reacted to the removal of restrictions on hunting of strictly protected birds in the Lombardy, Tuscany and Veneto regions. Italy will now have to answer to the European Court of Justice for permitting the hunting of Chaffinches, Bramblings, Meadow Pipits and Hawfinches.
In Lombardy alone, permission to hunt 497,350 Chaffinches, 94,600 Bramblings, 50,000 Meadow Pipits and 32,000 Hawfinches was granted!
Read on here »»
Final Report - CABS 23rd Bird Protection camp in Northern Italy (24.11.09)
 The final report on the CABS 23rd bird protection camp in Brescia, Northern Italy is now complete. Some 63 bird conservationists from all over Europe carried out operations in the Southern Alps from 4. October to 1. November 2009. They located and dismantled more than 2,500 bird traps and 167 mist nets. Information provided to the police by CABs led to the arrest of 42 poachers.
In addition to presenting the results of this years camp, the reportz also contains comprehensive background information on hunting and poaching in Brescia.
The full report can be read online or downloaded as a PDF file here »»
MALTA: Final Autumn Camp Report (05.11.09)
 In the course of the 3 week operation a total of 486 cases of illegal hunting were recorded. These included 23 directly observed shooting down of birds of prey, some of which were captured on video. In addition 24 observations or finds of protected birds, with what were evidently shot gun injuries, were registered. Four cases of illegal wader species trapping and the discovery of one illegal cage trap containing a dozen freshly-caught Turtle Doves were also recorded. In the course of nightly mapping of illegal electronic bird lures, used by hunters and trappers to lure birds to their nets or shooting hides, 119 ‘bird callers’ were located. Between 15 and 30 September CABS teams registered a total of 286 shots after the afternoon hunting curfew imposed by the government.
The final report from the CABS autumn migration camp is now online and available for download here
Video clips of CABS operations on YouTube
 Since summer 2008 CABS has published video clips from its operations on Malta and in Italy on the online portal YouTube.
A new film of our work on Cyprus is here »»
Video clips of our Malta bird protection camps are here »»
A film on our operations in Italy is here »»
Two video clips on bird trapping in France are here »»
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