Filenews 7 March 2022 - by Pavlos Neophytou / Photos - video: George Constantinou
Image: A rare photograph of George Constantinou with a lime stick on an Asprosiachino, a globally endangered species. In such a case, its survival is doubtful, as the damage caused by the limestone to its plumage will affect its ability to fly, and thus its ability to hunt and migrate.
An alarming increase occurs in the levels of illegal bird trapping. This records a recent survey by BirdLife Cyprus for autumn 2021. "For the last 20 years BirdLife Cyprus has been systematically recording trapping levels in areas in the Republic and the British Bases in Dhekelia. Analysis from fieldwork for autumn 2021 showed signs of a significant and alarming increase in netting levels in the survey areas compared to 2020. This equates to about 605,000 birds that may have been trapped and killed illegally in the fall of 2021 within the investigation areas," the Association said in a statement.
At the same time, BirdLife Cyprus links the results of the survey to the recent relaxation in the law on the protection and management of wild birds, which has led to significantly reduced fines for trapping up to 50 birds from a list of 14 species belonging to the category of "vine birds" with limesticks or shooting.
"The fines that have been reduced from €2,000 to €200 are not dissuasive or punitive, and obviously not proportional to the profit that one would have from the illegal sale of these birds. Moreover, the similarity of the 14 species with other bird species hinders the implementation and enforcement of the law in the field, making it practically impossible, resulting in many species being ''sacked'' in the category of €200", he stresses. BirdLife Cyprus states that no discrimination should be made on the basis of the method of killing or on the basis of the "value" that some birds have for trappers and poachers. He informs that the European Commission, in a letter to the Government of Cyprus last October, also expressed deep concern and called on Cyprus to cancel the amendment of the law and restore the fines so that they start at €2000. A month later, the Association handed over to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, an online request to cancel this amendment, which was signed by nearly 14,000 citizens.
"It's not just the ampelopoulia"
"It is not only the ampelopoulia that fall victim to illegal trapping with the use of scrapers and networks", states the naturalist and president of the Association for the Protection of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity of Cyprus George Constantinou to philenews. "153 species of the Cypriot bird fauna, according to BirdLife Cyprus, fall victim to this cruel method, half of which are considered endangered and some are extremely rare species." He describes as unjustified and with a lack of logic the state's decision to reduce fines for trapping with limesticks and nets, predicting that it will further increase the phenomena of this kind of poaching.
In photographs he shares with us, we see an Asprosiachino (a globally endangered species) that had been caught in a limestick:
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"In such a case, the survival of this bird is now doubtful, as the damage caused by the limestone to its plumage will affect its ability to fly, and therefore its ability to hunt and migrate", stresses George Constantinou. As he explains, the big birds, such as the Asprosiachino in the photo, which are also victims of the practice of the xobergoi, are trapped in their attempt to grab the small birds that are stuck.
See more relevant photos by George Constantinou:
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The ball in the court of the Cypriot Government
For BirdLife Cyprus, the ball is now in the court of the Cyprus Government. It stresses that the primary objective of the state should be the protection and preservation of the natural heritage, starting with the reintroduction of strict and dissuasive provisions in the legislation. Specifically, it calls on the Government of Cyprus to:
• Cancel the relaxation of the law and increase the fines to €2000 for all birds, regardless of method of killing or species. If this is not done, Cyprus will probably be taken to the European Court of Justice for inadequate protection of migratory birds, as was also made clear in the Commission's letter last October.
• To reinstate the Anti-Poaching Unit of the Cyprus Police to deal more effectively with organized large trappers and violence/threats from trappers.
• To follow the example of the British Base Police to seek better and closer cooperation with environmental organizations.
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For nets
According to naturalist George Constantinou, illegal nets, apart from birds, are a mortal danger to other species of fauna, even moths. An example, he points out, is the Cypriot Nychtopapparos. "It is estimated that we have about 800 - 1000 Moths in Cyprus, a species that is endangered. Once we found 18 trapped in a net," he said, explaining that the offenders set up the nets at night to catch the birds in the morning, but during the night the nocturnal species circulate, so they are also trapped. He points out that both in nets and on limesticks, reptiles are also trapped.
"Deadly traps" and the yellow sticky strips
George Constantinou seizes the opportunity to mention that the yellow sticky strips, which hang on the trees by the farmers, are also "deadly traps". "They capture not only harmful insects, but also countless other species, such as small snakes, lizards, birds and other rare endemic species. These films, which are allowed to be imported and used and are sold everywhere, are a very big enemy for many species of biodiversity of our country. Those responsible should investigate this serious matter and immediately ban these "lethal" films, since the harm they do is much more than the good. On one occasion we found a trapped Siahini on them. And as it is known, Siahini and other species of predators, they feed on insects, such as locusts. They find them glued to the tapes and in their attempt to feed on them they are trapped themselves," he explains.
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Increased 100% trapping
BirdLife Cyprus' systematic monitoring programme covers a research area that includes two territories: the Republic of Cyprus and the British Bases (SBA) of Dhekelia. Specifically, it covers the areas of Larnaca - Famagusta and Agios Theodoros - Maroni. Based on the analysis of the survey data, during the autumn of 2021 there were 6,500 metres of active netting routes within the survey area. With this data, it is estimated that about 60,5000 birds may have been killed within the research area. Overall, the use of nets within the survey area for autumn 2021 was 84% lower than in 2002 levels (when the BirdLife Cyprus Monitoring Programme was launched) according to the analysis made in the TRIM programme. However, compared to 2020, trapping in the fall of 2021 seems to have increased by 100%.
At the territory level, netting within the areas of the British Bases appears to have seen a 46% increase compared to autumn 2020, the first increase in the last four years. "This is a disappointing development, given that in autumn 2020 we recorded the lowest netting activity since the beginning of the monitoring programme in 2002," the Association says. Despite the increase in netting within the Base areas, it is important to note that the levels recorded in autumn 2021 (16) are still far from the levels recorded in 2016 (280), when BirdLife Cyprus recorded the highest trapping levels in the Base area. Trapping levels in the Republic of Cyprus tended to increase by 132%. This is extremely worrying news that negates the reduction recorded last year.
