FRONTLINE NEWS ON ILLEGAL BIRD TRAPPING IN CYPRUS - SPRING 2010

Spring 2010 trapping levels followed the disturbing upward trend set by recent winter and autumn seasons … so are we loosing the battle against the trappers?

BirdLife Cyprus’ ongoing, systematic field monitoring of illegal bird trapping continued during the spring of 2010. Results showed an increase in trapping levels of 33% compared to spring 2009 trapping levels.

Rather than following the encouraging downward trend in springtime trapping of recent years (2007 -2008 -2009), 2010 spring trapping levels sadly followed the increasing trapping trend of recent winter and autumn seasons.

Over a quarter of a million birds are estimated to have been killed by trappers this spring. Trappers are after blackcaps to sell as expensive ambelopoulia delicacies in law-breaking tavernas, but the indiscriminate nature of the mist nets and limesticks used means that many rare and threatened bird species are killed.

Analysis of trapping results for spring 2010 has shown two distinctive characteristics:

• The first one was the massive (204%) increase of trapping levels recorded within the ‘Joint areas’  (The ‘Joint areas’ are the areas found between the Republic of Cyprus  and the British Sovereign Base jurisdictions in the Famagusta district) compared to previous spring levels. This implies that an enforcement gap exists in such areas that bird trappers take full advantage of it setting up their nets.
• The second point has to do with the trapping levels in the well-known problem area of Cape Pyla, within the Dhekelia British Base, which fell by a dramatic 70% due to the large sweep operations carried out by the Bases Police, with British Army support. Overall, however, trapping levels in the Eastern SBA were up by 23%.

Last but not least, BirdLife Cyprus has long identified the restaurants that illegally dish up ambelopoulia as the main root of the trapping problem, as they provide the financial incentive for trappers (a plate of a dozen birds can sell for as much as €80). A determined campaign to stop restaurants from selling ambelopoulia is long overdue.

For the full report please click here.

BirdLife Cyprus’ comments on recent attack against anti-trapping activists


Press Release          Nicosia, 3 May 2010


Birdlife Cyprus strongly condemns the recent violent attack by suspected bird trappers against activists who tried to release birds caught on lime sticks in the Paralimni area.   It also condemns the reaction to this incident from many local politicians and community leaders, who are painting the activists – rather than the law-breaking trappers and their persistent activities - as the guilty party.

Birdlife Cyprus has never itself adopted activist tactics to halt the illegal use of nets and limesticks. However, we share the same aims with the activists, i.e. to see an end to trapping, and also their frustration at the recent dramatic upsurge in trapping levels.  

If the relevant legislation was being enforced adequately then illegal bird trapping would not be such a big issue and Europeans in general and activists in particular would not be as outraged about it as they (justifiably) are.

To add insult to injury, 7 members of parliament are still proposing to “relax” the current legislation to make trapping a minor offence, punishable by a small on-the-spot fine.

The problem of illegal trapping represents an intractable threat to many wild bird species, in particular because of its non-selective nature, while trapping is now a multi-million-Euro illegal industry.

For more information, please contact with Martin Hellicar on 22-455072 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Trapping rages out of control…so parliament debates relaxing poaching law!

BirdLife Cyprus Press Release                          Nicosia, 17th March 2010

There was a staggering increase in illegal bird trapping this winter past, providing a deadly welcome for hundreds of thousands of our winter visitor birds. But for some of our MPs at least, the burning issue seems to be how to lessen the enforcement “sting” for the trappers.

The latest data from systematic monitoring by BirdLife Cyprus shows mist net use up by 47% and limestick use by 187% in the winter of 2009/10 compared to the winter of 2008/09.

REPORT POACHING

‘Be our eyes and ears’ - Help BirdLife Cyprus combat illegal bird killing

Illegal shooting and trapping of birds is a persistent problem in Cyprus - one that BirdLife Cyprus spends a lot of its time and energy campaigning on. But we need your help if we are to be more effective in combating this problem, as we simply do not have the capacity to always watch what is going on out there…

If you have witnessed any violations of the hunting law (detailed here), then please report these to the relevant authorities (numbers given below) at once and also let BirdLife Cyprus know, so we can keep track of the problem and increase our pressure for effective enforcement action.

Why you need to report poaching:
Poaching poses a threat for birds (and other wildlife) and the public.
• Illegal bird hunting can drive rare species towards extinction
• Poaching (especially during the breeding season) can decrease bird populations
• Shooting in build-up areas or near isolated houses as well as shooting from moving vehicles can be a danger to the public.

You will find here a standard form for reporting poaching incidents to BirdLife Cyprus. You can send completed forms to us by post (P.O. Box 28076, Nicosia 2090), email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or fax 22 455 073. We can then use your information to build a dossier on illegal shooting, add to our data from systematic monitoring of bird trapping activity (ongoing since 2002) and update the relevant authorities (Game Fund).

Update to the Bureau of the Bern Convention Standing Committee on Illegal trapping, killing and trade of birds in Cyprus

Report by BirdLife International (represented by BirdLife Cyprus and the RSPB – BirdLife in the UK) and Terra Cypria.

With reference to Recommendation No. 90 (2001) on the Catching, killing or trading of protected birds in Cyprus (appended below)

The situation on the ground in the Autumn of 2009 looks very bad, first results from the ongoing BirdLife monitoring project show. The Spring 09 migration season seemed to provide some grounds for hope - with a reduction in mist netting activity compared to the spring of 08. But now that the main, Autumn trapping season has arrived, the trappers are back in force, particularly with limesticks.

This picture was taken on the Pyla Range, on the morning of Wednesday 16th September 09.

Reduction in Spring trapping levels and record fine for mist netting conviction give hope ahead of the autumn migration season

STOP PRESS: In early December, the Game Fund announced they had carried out raids on eight restaurants in Larnaca town and District suspected of serving trapped birds. The raids, carried out in cooperation with the new Cyprus Police anti-poaching unit, resulted in the charging of four restaurant owners after a total of 883 wild birds were found in freezers in their establishments. These coordinated raids represent a very welcome positive step in the battle against bird trapping.

CYPRIOT TRAPPERS killed an estimated 776,000 birds this autumn to supply local restaurants with banned ambelopoulia delicacies, a lucrative trade authorities consistently fail to halt, charges local conservation group BirdLife Cyprus.

Bird Trapping

The continuing phenomenon of bird trapping is one of the most negative aspects in Cyprus as regards the conservation of the environment and biodiversity. Bird trapping was declared illegal 30 years ago, but it still continues to be a black mark against Cyprus.