May 2012. BirdLife Cyprus has completed another year of monitoring of illegal bird trapping as part of its on-going anti-trapping campaign, with the overall picture revealing the magnitude of an ecological disaster. BirdLife undertook surveillance during spring, autumn and winter 2011 and the estimated death toll sums up to the shocking figure of 2.8 million birds, the highest estimate since year-round monitoring began five years ago.
Trappers are no longer concerned with prosecution
BirdLife Cyprus has just finalized its winter trapping report for 2011. Trapping levels were similar to the previous winter season, with a small decrease of 8% in trapping activity recorded in winter 2011 compared to winter 2010. A total of 616 metres of active net rides were recorded during winter 2011, suggesting that over 400,000 wintering birds could have been caught in mist nets across the whole of Cyprus. An alarming number of mist nets in situ was recorded this winter, an increase of 300% compared to winter 2010, a clear indication that trappers are no longer concerned by the threat of prosecution.
BirdLife Cyprus has just finalized its winter trapping report for 2011. Trapping levels were similar to the previous winter season, with a small decrease of 8% in trapping activity recorded in winter 2011 compared to winter 2010. A total of 616 metres of active net rides were recorded during winter 2011, suggesting that over 400,000 wintering birds could have been caught in mist nets across the whole of Cyprus. An alarming number of mist nets in situ was recorded this winter, an increase of 300% compared to winter 2010, a clear indication that trappers are no longer concerned by the threat of prosecution.
Bird trapping is completely out of control"
‘Although these numbers are an estimate, they show that illegal bird trapping activity is getting completely out of control", said Dr Clairie Papazoglou, Executive Director of BirdLife Cyprus. "We have been recording a dramatic increase in trapping activity in the last few years. Too many people are still supporting this indiscriminate slaughter by eating ambelopoulia. People need to take on board what the ecological impact of eating ambelopoulia is and to stop demanding the illegal bird delicacies'" said Papazoglou.
‘Although these numbers are an estimate, they show that illegal bird trapping activity is getting completely out of control", said Dr Clairie Papazoglou, Executive Director of BirdLife Cyprus. "We have been recording a dramatic increase in trapping activity in the last few years. Too many people are still supporting this indiscriminate slaughter by eating ambelopoulia. People need to take on board what the ecological impact of eating ambelopoulia is and to stop demanding the illegal bird delicacies'" said Papazoglou.
"Also, the competent authorities need to re-double their efforts, implementing a strict ‘zero tolerance' approach across the entire bird crime chain, from the trapping sites to the restaurants offering birds", continued Papazoglou.
Targeting migratory birds
Illegal bird trappers are after migratory birds passing through Cyprus during spring and autumn or after wintering birds, mainly song thrushes (Turdus philomelos), during the winter season. The non-selectivity of mist nets and limesticks means that the catch is indiscriminate, with over 100 bird species recorded trapped, many of them considered rare and threatened. And as the death estimate suggests, bird trapping is nowadays extensive, run at an ‘industrial' level with huge profits to be made from selling the trapped birds to restaurants and for domestic consumption.
Illegal bird trappers are after migratory birds passing through Cyprus during spring and autumn or after wintering birds, mainly song thrushes (Turdus philomelos), during the winter season. The non-selectivity of mist nets and limesticks means that the catch is indiscriminate, with over 100 bird species recorded trapped, many of them considered rare and threatened. And as the death estimate suggests, bird trapping is nowadays extensive, run at an ‘industrial' level with huge profits to be made from selling the trapped birds to restaurants and for domestic consumption.
The ‘Larnaca Declaration'
The record annual death toll estimate of 2011 can only suggest that the ‘zero tolerance' approach that was pledged by all participants, including competent authorities, at the first Europe-wide conference on illegal killing of birds in Larnaca (Cyprus) in July (2011), has not materialized. The ‘Larnaca Declaration' and its recommendations outline the key tools to tackle this persistent illegality, including strengthening of enforcement and the development of a public awareness campaign. BirdLife Cyprus calls on the authorities to adopt the recommendations of the ‘Larnaca Declaration' and to draw up targeted action plans to stop illegal bird trapping.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/cyprus-burd-trap.html
The record annual death toll estimate of 2011 can only suggest that the ‘zero tolerance' approach that was pledged by all participants, including competent authorities, at the first Europe-wide conference on illegal killing of birds in Larnaca (Cyprus) in July (2011), has not materialized. The ‘Larnaca Declaration' and its recommendations outline the key tools to tackle this persistent illegality, including strengthening of enforcement and the development of a public awareness campaign. BirdLife Cyprus calls on the authorities to adopt the recommendations of the ‘Larnaca Declaration' and to draw up targeted action plans to stop illegal bird trapping.
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