Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e. V.
Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V. Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)
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Zypern – 15. 09. 2026

CABS urge MP's to not be fooled by ELAM´s deceptions and instead strengthen efforts to protect nature against wildlife crimes

Nicosia, Cyprus - Ahead of Wednesday's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, conservationists are urging Cypriot MPs to reject political manoeuvres aimed at crippling anti-poaching operations and instead bolster the vital partnership between civil society and law enforcement.

The call comes in response to an agenda item pushed forward by the far-right ELAM party, which officially seeks to examine the "impacts of environmental NGO activities." The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) warned lawmakers not to be misled by deceptions designed to disrupt the successful cooperation between non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Cyprus Police, and the Game and Fauna Service.

While CABS welcomed the parliamentary session as an opportunity to showcase the indispensable contributions of conservation groups, the organisation firmly rejected ELAM’s attempt to restrict field operations.

"Joint operations between game wardens, police, and NGOs have been the backbone of successful anti-poaching efforts in Cyprus for years," said CABS President Karl-Heinz Kreutzer. "The demand to limit this successful cooperation is a transparent trap designed to blindside law enforcement and clear the fields for wildlife offenders."

CABS field monitoring remains one of the primary drivers behind wildlife crime enforcement on the island. In the past autumn season alone, reports filed by CABS directly led to the conviction of 55 bird poachers and to the confiscation of 1,621 limesticks, 139 mist-nets and 89 electronic bird callers. 1,286 live birds entangled in nets or glued to limesticks were liberated.

In recent weeks, joint actions have caught 6 poachers red-handed, leading to the immediate confiscation of firearms and illegal trapping gear.

CABS is demanding that parliament use the upcoming committee meeting to formalise and scale up institutional support for joint anti-poaching operations, ensuring that law enforcement retains the field intelligence necessary to protect Cyprus’s natural heritage.

"Instead of weakening enforcement, parliament must boost up enforcement and actively support closer institutional ties between NGOs and the police to safeguard our shared natural heritage," Kreutzer added.

CABS emphasise that their international and local volunteers operate strictly within the legal framework, serving as vital "eyes and ears" to enforce the EU Birds Directive in Cyprus. Giving in to the pressure of ELAM and hunting associations would severely damage Cyprus's international standing and reverse years of progress in combating wildlife crime, the NGO said.

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Contact for more information CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld Email CABS@komitee.de or phone +49 179 4803 805