Spring bird protection camps set to begin
06.03.2026
Many poachers continue to operate their trapping sites in the Mediterranean region even in spring. Hence we are now getting ready for our spring actions: in southern Italy, CABS teams will monitor illegal spring hunting and search for trapping sites. In Malta, we take action against bird trapping with mist-nets and monitor the migration of birds of prey. In Greece, we will continue our checks on illegal spring hunting this year. Due to the current situation in the Middle East, it is not yet certain whether we will be able to work in Lebanon. Further actions will take place in Cyprus and northern Italy. There, a CABS team has already achieved success and convicted a bird trapper using a net.
By mid-May, we will have carried out eight operations with approximately 50 volunteers.
Winter bird protection camp in Cyprus complete
01.03.2026
After more than five weeks, this year's winter mission in Cyprus has now come to an end. During the cold season, poachers target wintering thrushes, warblers and larks that move south seeking refuge from the harsher climate on the continent. The birds are killed to be eaten as ‘delicacies’ and sold on the black market for profit. Our teams had their hands full, especially during the second half of the camp. Following our field investigations and reports, the authorities caught a total of 10 poachers. During the raids, >100 limesticks, 13 nets and 12 electronic decoy devices were dismantled and seized. Our activists were able to free two dozen birds from traps. In just a few weeks, some of them will be travelling back to Cyprus, as our spring campaign begins!
Hunters charged for illegal bird trap in Germany
23.02.2026
Following a report by CABS (Committee Against Bird Slaughter) in early 2024, a 67-year-old hunter and his brother face charges at the Lübbecke District Court for operating an illegal bird of prey trap in Preußisch Oldendorf. Although the hunter claims the trap was inactive, prosecutors used the defendants' own trail camera footage to refute this, alleging the trap had been in place since 2021. If convicted of violating the Federal Nature Conservation Act, the men face up to five years in prison and the permanent loss of their hunting licenses, highlighting the severe legal consequences for targeting protected species in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Find out more about CABS work against raptor persecution in Germany here.
Winter bird protection camp in Sardinia has begun
25.02.2026
The Committee Against Bird Slaughter has achieved great success in the fight against bird trapping on the Italian Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Our teams have been working in the mountains near Cagliari in the south of the island since 1995. Since then, we have dismantled thousands of horsehair snares and trapping nets there. Through cooperation with the authorities and the use of modern technology, we have been able to reduce the number of traps from around 20,000 per year to just a few hundred. Committee teams are currently patrolling the mountain forests again in search of bird traps. We are closely monitoring several active trapping sites.
You can find out more about our work in Sardinia here.
Winter operation in Cyprus: 10 poachers already caught!
13.02.2026
During our winter operation in Cyprus, we have now caught 10 poachers. During the cold season, poachers target wintering birds – song thrushes, robins, and skylarks are particularly affected. While the first few weeks of the campaign, which started at the beginning of January, were very quiet, the unsettled weather in the Mediterranean region has now driven large numbers of birds to the island, keeping our teams very busy. Based on our reports, game wardens and police officers have so far confiscated 91 glue sticks, 15 nets, and eight electronic decoy devices.
Read more about our campaigns and operations in Cyprus here.
CABS fly the flag at Europe's largest hunting fair!
01.02.2026
CABS are raising awareness about raptor persecution and hunting endangered migratory bird species! The ‘Jagd und Hund’ (Hunting and Dogs) exhibition in Dortmund is Europe's largest hunting fair, with around 70,000 hunters expected to attend. From today until Sunday evening, hundreds of suppliers will be exhibiting all things hunting related. Around 90 hunting holiday organisers will also be there. This is not just about trophy hunting for elephants and zebras – you can also book trips to shoot endangered migratory birds. Anyone wishing to buy bird traps such as hawk traps will also find what they are looking for – even though their use is banned throughout the EU. The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) is represented with a stand for the first time this year.
Action against illegal water fowling in Italy
19.01.2025
After weeks of preparation, game wardens from WWF Lombardia, together with the provincial police, caught three hunters who were illegally hunting ducks in the Po river valley in northern Italy. They were hidden on an almost inaccessible island near Bastida Pancarana and shot ducks wintering there using prohibited electronic decoys. One of the perpetrators did not have a gun licence. The officers confiscated the hunting weapons, the mobile phone, the Bluetooth speaker and the animals that had been shot – 17 teals and three wigeons. This operation marked the first successful use of artificial intelligence for detection.
More about our campaigns and operations in Italy here.
First Action of 2026 - Winter Camp in Cyprus
09.01.2026
While January is regarded as perhaps the most ‘dormant’ month of the year for European wildlife, in Cyprus bird trappers are almost always on the prowl; and so too are our determined team of activists! As the cold weather fronts begin to take hold on the mainland continent, waves of migratory thrushes push further south, seeking refuge in the milder climes. Any trappers that do pop up on our radar in the coming weeks will be reported to the authorities and face significant fines.
Read more about the CABS operations on Cyprus here ...
Huge wins this autumn in Cyprus - €239,770 in fines issued!
04.12.2025
Between September 10 and November 25, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), working with Cypriot Police and Game Wardens, conducted 75 joint operations that resulted in 55 convictions and over €239,770 in fines issued. Our teams seized 1,547 limesticks and 137 mist-nets, and rescued 1,286 live protected birds, saving countless more as a direct result of our actions. Crucially, the operations included major raids initiated after CABS, together with broadcasters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin, exposed the industrial-scale trapping through the 'Operation Dead Air' campaign, leading to major fines against notorious trapping gangs and sending a strong message that no one is above the law!
Read our full Press Release 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.
