New study about trophy hunting in Lebanon

11.02.2025
Conservationists from the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) have today published a study on illegal bird hunting in Lebanon in the renowned journal Oryx – The Journal of International Conservation published by Cambridge University Press. During the study we analysed more than 1,800 trophy photos published by Lebanese hunters on social media platforms. In total, more than 29,000 individual shot birds from 212 species were analysed and identified, ranging from eagles and vultures to swallows and blackcaps.
You find link to the article and our press release here
Bird protection camp in Cyprus: Less poaching in winter

10.02.2025
So far, we have recorded the lowest level of poaching activity since the start of our winter operations in Cyprus in 2013, which is probably due to the high night-time temperatures of over 10 °C. The mild weather has brought the influx of birds to a standstill. The decline in bird trapping with nets is particularly striking: Since mid-January, we have only found and dismantled 3 nets - in the winter of 2017/2018, there were 137 in the same period! Unfortunately, some poachers still can't let it go and are getting inventive: Our team has caught two bird trappers with limesticks, which is rare at this time of year. The game wardens we informed were able to confiscate 56 limesticks and 2 decoys on both trapping sites. 2 blackcaps were released by our team.
Sharp decline in poaching in Sardinia

18.01.2025
The Italian Mediterranean island is the only place in Europe where horsehair snares are still used to catch birds. The birds are eaten as a regional delicacy. CABS has been working against poaching in Sardinia since 1999 - including this winter. So far, the police have been able to convict three poachers as a result of our field investigations and 90 snares have been seized. Unfortunately, the birds we find in the traps are almost always already dead, but this year a robin was very lucky: it had only just got caught in a trap and was rescued at the last second by one of our activists and set free! In the 2000s, we regularly found over 10,000 snares during our bird protection camps, but fortunately bird trapping has now decreased significantly here too.
Successful operation in the Po Delta

13.01.2025
The Po estuary is one of the most important roosting and wintering areas for ducks, geese, waders and herons in the Mediterranean. Hunting is still legal and very widespread. Unfortunately, many hunters do not respect the law and either shoot protected species or use illegal hunting methods. This weekend, in the south of the vast wetland, a team from the Committee Against Bird Slaughter, together with the police, caught two people using illegal electronic decoys to hunt ducks. The perpetrators tried to escape in a boat, but were tracked by a drone and later arrested. Two decoys and two firearms were seized (photo).
To leave no stone unturned in southern France!

10.01.2024
This week, a committee team has inspected all known stone-crush trapping sites and surrounding areas in the departments of Lozère and Aveyron and found no active traps! It is the successful conclusion of a campaign that we first started back in 2006 and which ended with the ban on stone-traps in co-operation with our French partners at LPO. In December 2023, the Constitutional Court in Paris made a final ruling that this barbaric trapping method is not compatible with EU law. This means that stone crush-traps have finally become extinct throughout Europe, as even in Pavia (northern Italy) - the second known place where they were still used until a few years ago - no active traps were found during an inspection before Christmas!
Definitely a successful call for celebration! Read more here.
Our bird protection camps 2025 - join us!

03.01.2024
Together with our partners, we will once again be organising numerous anti-poaching campaigns in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Lebanon in 2025. 23 of around 30 planned missions have already been scheduled.
You can find our schedule here.
The bird protection camps are inconceivable without voluntary support. There are a few requirements - among other things, you need to be in top shape, have a good knowledge of the species and have a good command of English. A good dose of courage is also required, as well as tolerance and the ability to work in a team.
You can read more about taking part in the campaigns here.
CABS Annual report 2024 - 337 poachers convicted

18.12.2024
Bird migration is over, the year is drawing to a close and it is time for our annual report. In 2024, a total of 216 volunteers from all over Europe took part in our 31 bird camps and over 50 smaller campaigns in 7 countries. 337 poachers were caught - 751 bird traps, 3,853 lime sticks, 477 nets, 190 decoys and 72 shotguns were confiscated. These are the results of our work to improve bird conservation over the last 12 months.
Details can be found in our 2024 Annual report.
Our bird protection time table for 2025 is also published - 23 of the 30 planned actions have already been scheduled. See our time table here.
Huge success in Cyprus - new record against poaching

15.12.2024
After almost three months, our autumn bird protection camp in Cyprus has come to an end. Particularly in the south-east of the island, 14 participants searched for trapping sites, an supported the police in their work against poaching. As a result of our team’s field investigations, 74 poachers were convicted - more than ever before! The authorities confiscated 1,302 limesticks, 88 nets and 101 electronic decoys. Over 700 migratory birds, including warblers, thrushes, owls, redstarts and shrikes, were freed from the traps by our volunteers - thousands more were not even caught!
Read more about our operations in Cyprus here.
Wildlife crime in a tourist paradise - Santorini exposé

12.12.2024
The famous Greek holiday island of Santorini is a hotspot for poaching in the eastern Mediterranean. The island is littered with trapping sites where the perpetrators illegally catch finches with trapping nets and ‘live decoy’ birds. The birds end up confined in tiny cages and are displayed everywhere in villages, hotels and restaurants. During an initial mission by CABS this autumn, our experts found a total of 107 active trapping sites - often easily visible to everyone. The sheer scale of the bird trapping shows that the police and hunting authorities on Santorini are completely overwhelmed by the situation. It was only after our reports that the officers took obligatory action and convicted 3 poachers. 3 poaching nets and 40 birds were seized.
Watch here our video from Santorini.
Your donation makes the 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.
