Activists helped release 620 birds from traps and nets, as well as 58 protected birds that were illegally kept in an aviary, over the course of ten weeks, according to a Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) announcement.
During their ten-week Bird Protection Camp in Cyprus, CABS found 100 active trapping sites, 62 illegal decoy callers and dismantled 847 limesticks and 140 huge nets.
Authorities convicted seven poachers as a result of their field investigations, CABS said.
The #CABS winter Bird Protection Camp in #Cyprus is now complete. Over 10 weeks, our teams found >100 active trapping sites: 847 limesticks, 140 huge nets were dismantled, as well as 62 illegal electronic decoy callers. Authorities convicted 7 poachers. 678 birds were released. pic.twitter.com/FpqP9raICH
— CABS (@CABS_REPORTS) March 7, 2019
CABS, together with its Italian partner organisation LAC, have carried out small scale anti-poaching operations since 1999.
According to CABS, each year up to 16 activists from Germany, Great Britain, Israel and Italy participate in CABS operations. They search for illegal limesticks, mist nets and electronic decoy devices and monitor the illegal trade in dead song birds in restaurants, grocery stores and butchers’ shops. In cooperation with the authorities traps and nets are dismantled.
If the teams locate illegal trapping equipment on fenced-in private property the police or the game service are called to remove the illegal devices and to prefer charges against offenders.
Also, restaurants that openly offer song birds on the menu, or that provide them for consumption on request, are immediately reported to the police.
