CABS Cyprus camp comes to an end - 1,977 limesticks dismantled, 2 poachers apprehended (04.05.10)

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The 2010 CABS spring bird protection camp on Cyprus took place from 24 April until May .
During their 8 day operation the 14 conservationists from Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, in cooperation with the local authorities, located and removed 1,977 limesticks, 9 mist nets and 12 electronic bird callers. Our information led to the arrest of 2 poachers.

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Until our. final report is ready you can read our online diary and press report about our turbulent operations.

Spring camp online diary

The 2010 CABS spring bird protection camp takes place on Cyprus from 24 April to 2 May with 14 activists from Germany, Italy and the UK.

All bird protection operations are financed by CABS. A generous donation by the German Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt (Foundation for Wildlife Diversity) has greatly assisted with the funding of the Cyprus spring camp.

Press echoes

The CABS operations and events were reported on both English and Greek language radio and TV stations.

Two interviews with the CABS planning staff were broadcast at prime time on CYBC radio.

Newspaper coverage was extensive - here a selection:

Cyprus Mail, 04. Mai: "We were beaten"

Cyprus Mail, 04. Mai: Bird activists fear for their lives

Famagusta Gazette, 29. April: Limestick trapping widespread in Cyprus- Famagusta District worst

Famagusta Gazette 24th April: International operation against illegal trapping in Cyprus

Cyprus Mail, 23rd April: Bird activists plan to thwart poachers

Cyprus Weekly 23rd April: Bird Patrol

Final Cyprus spring camp resultsl
 Limesticks collected: 1,977
 Mist nets collected: 9
 Electronic decoys collected: 12
 Illegal shots heard: 24
 Poachers arrested: 2

Last update: 04.05.2010

Tuesday, 04.05.2010

Today was the last day of the CABS spring bird protection camp on Cyprus. In the early morning a further electronic bird lure was found near Avgorou but no nets were in place. Because of the high level of media interest the poacher had probably removed his nets hastily but forgotten to take the still active device.

In the past week we had located 6 limestick installations in fenced-in gardens in the Protaras-Paralimni-Sotira area, visible from outside.
Arranging a visit to them with the local police, the Anti-poaching Squad in Nicosia or the Game Fund proved remarkably difficult. Only today, eight days after the first find, were we allocated support from a Game Fund Patrol. The very committed officers, led by our teams to the gardens, in a short space of time seized a total of 199 limesticks. One poacher was caught red-handed and handed over to the police.

This signals the end of operations. In ten days the 14 participants from Germany, Italy and the UK have located and dismantled a total of 1,977 limesticks, 9 mist nets and 12 illegal electronic bird callers. In addition information provided by us led to the arrest of two poachers by the police.

Monday, 03.05.2010

Monday was quiet compared to the preceding days. The CABS members injured on 30 April, and still nursing their cuts and bruises, were in action to the west of Agia Napa and found mostly inactive trapping sites. Only 22 limesticks were found.
During the morning more than 300 limesticks and 10 mist nets were handed over to the Paralimni police. The police had authorised the dismantling of the illegal trapping equipment from sites in the Famagusta
District.

Sunday, 02.05.2010

The majority of our activists left Cyprus today, with only a small rear party remaining on the island to finish of our research as well as follow developments in respect of the incident of 30 April.

During the night hours an electronic lure at a net trapping near Liopetri was dismantled and removed. During the day the team paid brief visits to the Agios Theodoros and Akrotiri areas but found neither nets nor limesticks.

The newsreader in Cyprus TV commented on the attack on the CABS teams on 30 April as a “disgrace for Cyprus”. Even Radio Vatican carried the story and interview with our spokesperson. The Paralimni police, who are conducting the investigations, have warned the remaining CABS members to beware further attacks. The Committee has accordingly tightened up its security precautions.

Saturday, 01.05.2010

Today was overshadowed by the events of the previous day. Several team members were required to make statements to the police about the poachers’ assault and numerous journalists requested information or interviews. During the afternoon and evening all Cypriot radio and TV news channels carried stories on the brutal assault.

Despite the risks of further attacks our teams were of course again deployed on operations. During the night two illegal electronic lure devices were located and destroyed near Sotira and Liopetri. During the day only two teams were deployed in the countryside as team strengths had been increased to 6 members for security reasons. Near Protaras 62 limesticks were located and removed as well as a further 10 near Sotira.

This was the final day of operations on Cyprus for most of our members. A small rearguard will remain on the island for the next few days.

Friday, 30.04.2010

Three CABs teams carried out night patrols in the eastern British Sovereign Base Area (SBA) to locate trapping sites with illegal electronic callers. Not far from Xylophagou one team located a device emitting warbler calls in a fenced-in garden. At least two persons were observed at 'work' in the garden. The SBA police were informed immediately and caught one poacher red-handed. 21 limesticks and the bird caller were seized.
During the day 12 activists were again deployed in the countryside to search for limesticks and mist nets. Some 341 limesticks were found and destroyed in the Paralimni and Protaras areas. Due to a marked pick up in migration there were many more birds in the traps today. A total of 43 birds were cleaned up and set free including 8 Collared Flycatchers, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, as well as several Wood Warblers, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and a Cuckoo. Sadly another 7 birds were found dead including a Thrush Nightingale.
In the afternoon there was a severe incident between Protaras and Paralimni. A group of poachers stoned and physically attacked a CABS team of four accompanied by an American journalist. Two Italian conservationists were badly beaten, their video camera smashed and personal possessions stolen.
We will be issuing a press release on this latter incident on 1 May.

Thursday, 29.04.2010

In a night operation near Sotira a CABS team located a trapping site in an acacia plantation with a large net and a calling device.
The loud Blackcap callsled the activists unerringly to the trapping site.
During the day 3 teams were deployed on operations. East of Paralimni, at numerous trapping sites, they found a total of 317 limesticks, 17 of them in bushes behind a taverna.
Between Paralimni and Agia Napa CABS teams dismantled 45 limesticks and discovered two enclosed trapping sites with an unknown number of limesticks. These were left undisturbed for later police operations. On the eay back to their vehicle the Italian CABS members were surrounded and threatened by a group of excited men.
Before the situation could escalate reinforcements arrived and the team were able to leave without further trouble. A rearguard of a German and a British CABS member were shouted at and chased, but they beat a dignified retreat.
A team deployed near Liopetri had little success but suffered verbal abuse from an obvious bird trapper.
CABS press work appears to have been successful in stirring up the poachers, but there have fortunately been no serious incidents as on Malta.

Wednesday, 28.04.2010

In the early hours of the morning, guided by the calls of two very loud electronic lures, a team located a mist net installation north of Sotira. The site contained three nets each 30 m in length. The nets, as well as the two lures and five speakers were dismantled.
During daylight hours three teams were deployed. Their members collected and destroyed a total of 386 limesticks. At a single trapping site near Paralimni alone 326 of the illegal traps were found!
Seven shots were heard around dawn east of Paralimni, probably aimed at Turtle Doves, which are migrating in large numbers at present.
Spring hunting has been banned on the island since Cyprus' accession to the EU!

Tuesday, 26.04.2010

Another successful day on Cyprus. The 14 participants were deployed in 3 teams. Italian and German activists located 234 limesticks and 4 mist nets in scrubland between Paralimni und Sotira. Electronic lures were installed at three sites - these were also dismantled. Near Protaras a dead Kestrel was found with obvious shotgun injuries. In the meantime CABS teams counted several dozen limesticks in 6 fenced-in private gardens. These were left undisturbed for later police action.
The police have not yet reacted so that the limesticks are still in place. We will continue to press them to take action.

In the evening our acting press officer David Conlin was interviewed on Cyprus radio.

Monday, 26.04.2010

Four CABS teams were deployed on operations on Cyprus today. Some 26 limesticks were found to the north of Agia Napa and in the area around Paralimni a total of 233 limesticks were located in some one dozen separate installations. They were all dismantled and destroyed. Further limesticks were seen in fenced-in gardens - these were left undisturbed for raids by the police in due course (More information will be released when operations have taken place).
In the early hours of the morning there was a minor incident near Agia Napa. A trapper hadobserved an Italian CABS member removing his traps and was clearly ready to come to blows. The activist reacted calmly and this led to a de-escalation of the situation.
During the course of the day meetings were held with other local conservationists and it was agreed to cooperate closely. A strategy for conduction coordinated operations with in the British Sovereign Base (SBA) areas was also discussed with senior police officers and civil servants. These will be practised within the wide-ranging Eastern SBA around Dhekelia before the end of the CABS camp.

Sunday, 25.04.2010

Three teams were deployed on operations today in bright sunshine and with summer temperatures. A large mist net, some 30 m long, was found and dismantled north of Sotira. In the south-east of the island (location will be revealed after operations are concluded) two trapping installations - including a fenced-in garden - with numerous limesticks were discovered. The installations were left untouched and will be the objectives of police operations.

Six shots were heard to the north-west of Agia Napa around midday, although spring hunting is forbidden on Cyprus. Many trapping installations, where hundreds of limesticks and more than 10 nets were found last year, are abandoned at present.

One of our teams was accompanied by a journalist. He is putting together a programme on CABS`operations on the island for the radio stations Deutsche Welle and Voice of America.

Saturday, 24.04.2010

The first 7 camp participants arrived from Germany in the early hours of the morning. In the evening our Italian colleagues, as well as some of the particpants in the parallel Malta camp, flew in to Larnaca airport. The German teams carried out reconnaissance and familiarisation patrols in the afternoon and early evening.

In the night and in the wee hours of Sunday morning CABS teams checked gardens and copses in the Xylophagou and Agia Napa areas and collected 81 limesticks. An electronic lure playing Blackcap calls at the site was also dismantled.