The 2009 CABS spring bird protection camp on Cyprus took place from 24 April to 3 May. The participants, from Italy, United Kingdom and Germany searched for illegal lime sticks, nets and electronic decoys, reported poachers to the police and monitored the ban on spring hunting. In addition checks of shops and restaurants for the illegal sale of song birds were carried out.
In close cooperation with the police and the Game Fund wardens, over 200 sites in the south of Cyprus were searched for illegal bird traps. A total of 2,136 lime sticks, 33 nets (with a total length of 570 m) and 14 electronic decoys were found and destroyed. Game wardens and police were led to 9 fenced in gardens where lime sticks and traps had been observed. Investigations continue apace.
202 birds were found in the nets and on lime sticks of which 155 could be released unharmed. They included Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Collared Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Scops Owl and a Wryneck.
The 14 illegal electronic decoy devices (with recordings of Blackcap calls) and the associated car batteries, loudspeakers, timers and hundreds of metres of cable were removed from the trapping areas.
In contrast to previous operations the trappers were decidedly aggressive. On a number of occasions members of the CABS teams escaped from the poachers in the nick of time. In one case a team member from North Germany was hit and thrown to the ground and his backpack taken from him. In another case CABS members were surprised by a trapper as they were dismantling his net. The man tried to attack the conservationists who managed to flee in their vehicle. A chase followed which was brought to an end by the British Sovereign Base Area police who were called upon for assistance. The poacher was caught and an investigation started.
Illegal shooting of returning migrant birds was less extensive this year than in April 2008. Last year we recorded 38 shots - this year only 10. Six of these were fired by a presumed poacher at a flock of Bee eaters. One bird was killed and the poacher managed to escape from the CABS teams closing in on him. The dead Bee-eater was recovered and a complaint against the poacher registered with the police.
Kudos to these guys from CABS for finding and destroying so many limesticks and nets. I find this to be an appalling practice. What do others think?
