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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Bird shooting and trapping in Lebanon

Bee-eaters and swallows seized from a Lebanese hunter
Bee-eaters and swallows seized from a Lebanese hunter

Because of its central location on the eastern flyway, millions of European migratory birds cross Lebanon each year as they travel back and forth between their breeding and winter quarters. Although there are comparatively few ornithologists and birdwatchers in the country, more than 385 bird species have been identified as breeding or migratory birds. The fact that numerous European breeding birds are among them is proven by ring recovery data and the recently recorded migration routes of storks and eagles equipped with GPS trackers. For example, the entire world population of the lesser spotted eagle travels through Lebanon twice a year. Many fall victim to the hail of bullets from Lebanese poachers who kill numerous birds of protected species each year, including birds of prey, nightjars, storks, pelicans and hundreds of thousands of songbirds. Beside shooting birds for personal consumption, the commercial trapping with gigantic nets and trapping installations is a further problem, to which countless small birds fall victim each year. Plucked and frozen songbirds are considered a delicacy in Lebanon and are offered openly by most supermarkets and many restaurants despite the official ban. According to cautious estimates by local experts, between 3 and 5 million migratory birds are shot down or caught in Lebanon every year. 

The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) first started work in Lebanon in 2013 and started our ground work and bird protection camps in 2017. Our campaign also includes training courses with the authorities and hunting groups as well as monitoring the trade in protected birds at markets, in restaurants and on the Internet. 

Video "The Bird Guards" - WATCH our anti-poaching operations in Lebanon

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Bird shooting in Lebanon

Lebanon lies on one of the most globally significant flyways for millions of migratory birds. Sadly rather than marvel in this spectacle, thousands of hunters take aim at the passing birds.

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Bird trapping Lebanon

Bird trapping is big business in Lebanon. Birds are not only legally trapped for personal use and consumption but millions of birds are caught and killed to supply a commercial market. 

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Bird trade in Lebanon

Although so many birds are simply shot for target practice or trapped to be eaten. Many birds wind up in cages and sold on for profit in private collections. 

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Bird protection camps in Lebanon

Since 2017, the committee has conducted bird protection camps in Lebanon to guard the most important migration corridors and help implement the hunting law.

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Research and Lobbying

With online research and our lobby work in both Beirut and Europe we support our practical work on ground.

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First successes in Lebanon

Even though there is still a long way to go before the end of poaching in Lebanon, we were able to achieve initial successes together with our Lebanese partners.

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