Halfway through the Cyprus operations: 29 poachers caught
24.09.2026
The CABS-autumn operation in Cyprus has been underway for six weeks now, and our dedicated teams on the ground is still going strong. Acting on our reports, the Game Wardens and police have so far caught and convicted 29 poachers. The officers confiscated 906 limesticks, 68 nets, and 51 electronic bird decoys. Together with the officers, our team dismantled several large-scale, professional trapping sites where around 100 birds were caught on a daily basis. In contrast, we managed to rescue 629 live birds alive from the glue and fine mesh, releasing them safely back into the wild. Among them Warblers, Redstarts, Flycatchers, Shrikes, Scops and Barn owls and a Common Snipe. Our bird protection camp will continue until the end of the migration season.
Find out more about our Cyprus campaign here.
Security Forces Arrest Bird of Prey Poachers in Lebanon
06.10.2026
At one of the largest known bird-of-prey slaughter sites in northern Lebanon, we can now report successful enforcement action. We monitored a prominent mountain site in Akkar over the weekend and, working alongside our partners at MECSHAP and the police, apprehended four individuals who had shot birds of prey. Officers intercepted two men - one of whom was carrying a sparrowhawk in his backpack at the scene the other poacher (who escaped arrest at the same site last autumn) was picked up by police as he was walking to his vehicle; they were taken to the police station, and their weapons were confiscated and criminal proceedings initiated. We were also able to track two other individuals, each of whom had shot two Honey Buzzards, back to their homes. We have handed over all necessary information and evidence to the police to initiate criminal proceedings.
First poacher caught of our autumn campaign in Italy
05.10.2026
At the start of our four-week bird protection camp in Brescia, northern Italy, we scored a spectacular victory against professional bird trapping: on a remote mountain ridge not far from Lake Idro, near the border with Trentino, the police – acting on information provided by CABS – caught a man red-handed with over 190 snap traps set to catch robins. The perpetrator – a licensed hunter – had set the small traps throughout an entire woodland and had already caught nearly 30 birds that morning within just a few hours. Two robins were rescued, but the others were unfortunately already dead, as was a dormouse found in one of the treacherous traps. CABS had been tracking the man since 2020. Years of investigation and our efforts in September have now led to this successful police operation.
“Activism is not a crime” - interview with Andrea Rutigliano
27.09.2026
“Activism is not a crime” - in a compelling interview, Andrea Rutigliano, an investigator with the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), sheds light on the high-stakes fight against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus.
Once a local tradition, bird poaching has turned into a lucrative illegal trade, with plates of wild songbirds selling for up to €80 in restaurants. Despite facing mafia-style threats, political pressure, and physical violence, Rutigliano and his team remain dedicated to protecting migratory species passing through the region.
From his personal motivation to repay a historical "karma" to the reality of confronting organised crime in the field, this interview is an eye-opening look at environmental activism on the frontlines. Read the full interview in Philenews (English) here.
Italy: 9 poachers caught, 560 bird traps seized
19.09.2026
In the mountainous region between Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, we have concluded our campaign against the trapping of black redstarts, tree pipits and redstarts, achieving our best result to date!
Working closely with the authorities, our teams – alongside volunteers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Italy – caught a total of nine poachers in the act. The officers were able to seize 543 snap traps, 19 nets, three decoys, one cage trap and 157 dead birds.
Fifty-eight live birds were released or taken to rescue centres following our instructions. During this operation, we collected more traps than in the whole of last year, which is particularly remarkable for our late-summer campaign.
Find out more about our bird protection campaigns in Italy here.
Turtle doves hunting massacre in Malta
16.09.2026
In recent days, hunters in Malta have killed hundreds of turtle doves – a species classified as endangered across Europe – whilst they were migrating to their wintering grounds.
During an inspection in Mizieb – Malta’s largest forest area – our Bird Guards found the remains of more than 60 freshly shot specimens of this globally endangered species yesterday. We cannot prove whether they were shot before or after the official hunting quota of 500 birds was reached on Monday. One thing is certain: the turtle dove is fighting for survival across Europe. Every single dead bird is a bitter blow to species conservation. CABS will continue to be on the ground over the coming weeks to document irresponsible hunting practices and to work with the police to crack down on illegal bird trapping. Find out more about our Malta campaign here.
The Single Dad Hen Harrier: A 135-Year Conservation Miracle!
11.09.2026
Today we have released video footage providing the first evidence of a ‘single-parent’ male rearing harrier chicks. This is the world’s first video evidence of this behaviour in this species. The footage shows how, after the female’s disappearance, the male independently carves up his prey and feeds the chicks beak-to-beak. He also shields them from the sun’s rays and keeps them warm at night – tasks that, in harrier populations, are usually carried out only by the females. The harrier brood in the Zülpicher Börde is one of fewer than 10 broods of this species in the whole of Germany and the first in the region for 135 years.
You can find the link to the video on our YouTube channel showing the full story here.
First poachers caught in Cyprus – 44 birds freed!
10.09.2026
During the first few days of our bird conservation camp in Cyprus, our teams caught two bird poachers in the south-east of the island using illegal decoys and an unauthorised hunting weapon. We were able to catch a third person – the first bird trapper of this year’s operation – with no fewer than four nets.
At a fourth location, we worked with gamekeepers to remove almost 30 glue traps. In total, following our tips, the officials seized four nets, four decoy devices, a long-barrelled firearm and 28 glue traps. We were also able to free 44 live birds from the traps and release them, including nightingales, red-backed shrikes, reed warblers and grasshopper warblers. Let’s keep it up!
Find out more about our campaigns in Cyprus here.
Lebanon mission goes ahead despite the Middle-East conflict
08.09.2026
Our bird protection camp in Lebanon is not for the faint-hearted: despite the tense and unstable situation in the region, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), together with its local partner MECSHAP, has launched our autumn bird protection camp in Lebanon.
Our teams, stationed along key flyways, are working alongside local nature lovers and the authorities to protect millions of migratory birds on their crucial journey along the African-Eurasian flyway. The focus is on protecting migratory birds of prey and combating the illegal trapping of birds using nets and glue sticks.
Read more about our Lebanon project here.
Your Donation Makes a Difference!
Your donation will enable us to fund our campaigns and bird protection camps throughout Europe, to keep up the fight for migratory birds. CABS is almost exclusively financed with private donations, from nature and animal lovers, as well as foundations and nature conservation associations. In order to stay independent, we do not receive public funds and we refuse business sponsorships. CABS is recognised as non-profit, thus, donations are tax-deductible. For a donation of 25 € or more, you will receive a donation receipt at the beginning of the following year.
