Dear CABS Friends and Supporters,In recent days, we have completed our big bird protection camps in northern Italy and Spain. Other activities are still ongoing in Malta, Greece, Cyprus and Lebanon. Read here the brief reports on our bird protection camps and their results, from west to east. 16 poachers caught in eastern Spain
The trapping season is coming to an end in the western Mediterranean and our bird protection camp in eastern Spain is now complete. Since the end of October, our teams have been on duty every night in the coastal plains between Valencia and the Ebro Delta. Together with officers from the Guardia Civil, we have caught 16 poachers at 12 trapping sites. The men were using ‘parany’ – elaborate trapping installations made in huge carob trees. Traditionally, these are equipped with glue sticks, but more and more perpetrators are also using nets. The police officers seized a total of 2,000 glue sticks, 12 set nets and 30 small clap nets.
CABS bird protection camp in northern Italy: 49 poachers convicted The 40th autumn bird protection camp in Brescia (Lombardy) in northern Italy has come to an end after five weeks. The region between Lake Iseo and Lake Garda is one of the main hotspots for poaching in Europe, which is why our bird protection camps have been held here during the migration season since 1985. Since the beginning of October, a total of 41 participants from France, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy and Germany have been on duty – every day, they searched for trapping and hunting sites in the area covering over 4,000 square kilometres and reported active sites to the police. Thanks to our reports, 49 poachers have been caught (31 bird trappers, 14 hunters and 4 animal dealers), the highest number since 2019 and a good 50% more than last year! In total, the authorities seized 11 glue sticks, 31 bow traps, 112 nets and 277 snap traps, as well as 12 wire snares for mammals, 14 electronic decoys, 20 shotguns and 1,825 rounds of ammunition. A further 1,006 birds were confiscated, including 423 live thrushes and finches, which were released. In Brescia, the onset of winter has now brought the hunting season to an end – the next operation here will take place in spring. Bird trapping in Malta - 22 poachers reported
Despite international protests and a clear warning from the European Commission, Malta is once again allowing finches to be trapped at almost 3,000 trapping sites this autumn – allegedly for purely scientific purposes. The fact is that many of these animals end up on the black market or with collectors who fill their aviaries with protected species under the guise of supposed research. The European Commission has therefore expressly warned the government in Valletta against renewing the permit, referring to last year's ruling by the European Court of Justice. In vain. To document violations, CABS members have been on site since beginning of October and have reported 22 bird trappers for violations until now. During inspections of the affected trapping sites, 32 nets have been dismantled, and 377 live decoy birds have been freed by the police. The official trapping season lasts until 20 December. Further actions are planned in the coming weeks, including operations against the night-time trapping of Golden plovers.
49 poachers caught in Cyprus Our bird protection camp against illegal bird trapping with nets and limesticks in Cyprus has been running since mid-September. In recent days, we have been able to catch and secure the conviction of 15 more poachers in collaboration with wardens from the Game & Fauna Service. They had been using limesticks and nets to catch songbirds or had illegally lured the passing birds within shooting range with electronic decoys. In the largest seizure of sticky traps this autumn to date, we led the wardens to a huge trapping site high up in an acacia grove. 270 limesticks were seized and dismantled. Our team also freed 55 birds alive from the brutal traps. The perpetrator has now been identified and is awaiting prosecution. Within two months, our teams have caught 49 poachers. As a direct result of our field investigations, the authorities have seized 1,546 limesticks, 108 nets and 72 decoys. 1,150 birds have so far been rescued and released unharmed. The operation will continue until the beginning of December.
Night actions in Lebanon
On weekends during bird migration, gangs of men gather across the country to illegally shoot birds together under the cover of the dark. Equipped with large spotlights, lasers and loud electronic decoys, these night hunts are regarded by many as a ‘fun’ social event. In recent days, our anti-poaching unit – a collaboration of staff and members from us and our partner organisations arrested 18 men and confiscated 10 weapons, several decoys, spotlights and projectors. Our work in Lebanon is currently receiving a widespread media attention and coverage. Numerous regional newspapers and TV stations are reporting on our ongoing actions and close cooperation with the Security Forces. Best regards,
Alexander Heyd and Lloyd Scott |
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