CABS - Bird Protection Camps in Lebanon
Until now, the Lebanese security forces have largely lacked the resources to effectively enforce the protective provisions of the Lebanese hunting law 580. Since the new hunting law was introduced 2017, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and our Lebanese partner associations have therefore coordinated large-scale bird protection operations in autumn and spring to "guard" the most important bird migration corridors in Lebanon and report violations directly to the authorities.
International experts and activists as well as numerous Lebanese bird conservationists and local hunters take part in these regular bird protection camps. In addition to cooperation with the police, the education of poachers, who are usually unaware of the damage they are doing to nature, also plays an important role. In addition to the work in the field, our partner associations SPNL and MESHC organise additional events and training courses for police and hunters each year, in order to win them over to the concept of responsible and sustainable hunting. We are also supported by Madame Claudine Aoun, the daughter of the Lebanese President, who together with her father is committed against poaching.
Another focus is the documentation of bird migration and the identification of previously unknown "bottlenecks" of international importance in the Lebanon Mountains and Anti-Lebanon. Especially at these places, where the density of bird migration enormous, we want to ensure a safe passage with our presence. The data and videos collected during our missions also help us to inform the Lebanese government about the problem and - if necessary - to put it under pressure internationally. In particular this relates to our demand for more controls and police presence at the known hot spots as well as the creation of a professional hunting supervision, anti-poaching unit and/or environmental police.
The control of the trade with shot or illegally caught birds is also one of the tasks of the participants of our bird protection camps. Supermarkets and butcher's shops are checked for illegal sale of songbirds, and pet shops and street vendors probed for information on the trade in birds caught in the wild. Poachers are regularly convicted and pet traders reported during our ever-growing missions.
Video "The Bird Guards" - WATCH our anti-poaching operations in Lebanon
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