News: Short & sweet / archive
October to December 2022

For Christmas and New Year's Day, at least, we will take a brief pause....
Even between the years and the beginning of 2023, we will take advantage of the announced mild weather to carry out extensive biotope maintenance and development work on our Foundation-owned properties. For our ongoing Little Owl conservation project in East Westphalia, we will be professionally pollarding many a willow tree by the end of February! There is always plenty to do for the benefit of nature and the protection of biodiversity and, for us, urgent matters will, as usual, dealt with as they occur.

Christmas and the New Year allow us to pause briefly and take stock of the past eventful year. In particular, our thoughts are with the individuals and institutions who have wholeheartedly championed our species conservation work in 2022 through their active commitment or much-needed and appreciated financial support. We owe you all our sincere and heartfelt thanks.

Especially in these troubled times, we wish you a reflective, happy and harmonious Christmas together with your loved ones and a happy and, above all, healthy and fulfilling New Year 2023. We wish you the best of luck and every success with your resolutions and planned activities in the new year.

As far as our Foundation work is concerned, 2023 will be our 21st year in action for species conservation. To this end, we have been working on new and challenging nature and species conservation projects for many months.

Our ambitious plans for 2023 include, among other things, the purchase of a further 50 ha (500,000 m²) of land in Germany and Sicily, the construction of two new species protection towers and the participation in and sponsorship of five migratory bird protection camps in Southern Europe. The wildlife rescue centres in Germany, Romania and Sicily can, of course, also count on our continued support. So let's tackle it unhesitatingly together.

Fifth Report and results of the Cyprus autumn bird protection camp 2022
The leader of this year’s Committee Against Bird Slaughter and our Foundation’s Cyprus autumn bird protection camp and our Foundation has completed his final report with an analysis of the bird species rescued from or found dead in illegal traps.

After 10 weeks of hard work on the Cyprus autumn bird protection camp 2022, it is now time for an assessment of the results achieved including bird trap removal, destruction of trapping equipment and a record of the freed and dead bird species found in traps.
 
Although trapping of the Eurasian Blackcap is a priority for bird poachers, any other songbird species caught are also consumed. Bycatch, in the form of raptor species such as Common Kestrel, Pygmy Owl, Long-eared Owl and Barn Owl are killed and thrown away!
 
The colourful European Bee-eaters are killed after being caught, poorly and unprofessionally stuffed, and then sold to unsuspecting tourists at high prices. The latter then risk high fines when entering EU member countries and Switzerland for violation of the Washington Convention on Endangered Species!



Results of the bird protection camp from 04.09. – 16.11.2022:
(Last year’s results in brackets)
 

Bird poaching and illegal bird hunting

• 170 trapping sites regularly under observation (160)
• 135 prepared trapping sites dismantled (139)
• 1,882 illegal limesticks removed and destroyed (1,893)
• 87 illegal mist net sites dismantled (110)
• 56 poachers electronic bird call facilities dismantled
• 76 hunting areas with illegal hunting activity discovered (60)
• 72 electronic bird call facilities of illegal hunters dismantled
• 60 criminal charges made against illegal bird trappers and hunters (61)

An analysis of bird species freed alive from trapping facilities or found dead therein gave the following picture in percentages rounded up):

• Eurasian Blackcaps 71%
• Leaf warblers 2%
• Lesser Whitethroat 2%
• Common Chiffchaff 2%
• European Robin 2%
• All other 25 bird species 12%
• Unidentified bird species 10%

The Eurasian Hoopoe: A fascinating migratory bird species that breeds in Europe primarily in the Mediterranean region and spends the nutrient-poor winter mainly in North Africa

The Eurasian Hoopoe is unmistakably recognisable by the conspicuous crest on its head, which it uses to communicate with conspecifics. Years ago, Hoopoes used our Pantani migratory bird sanctuary, which is currently under construction on the south-east coast of Sicily, only to rest and forage on migration. In the meantime, the number of birds wintering here is steadily increasing.
 
After extensive biotope rehabilitation and renaturation work, our Pantani Cuba & Longarini migratory bird sanctuary is increasingly becoming an ideal year-round habitat for this attractive bird species. In the meantime, it finds everything it needs to live here. We are also pleased about the 4-5 breeding pairs that breed successfully and raise their young here in old, small, abandoned houses and in cavities in fruit trees.
 
Hoopoes feed primarily on insects and small vertebrates. They hunt them on the ground, poking for insects in crevices and holes in the ground with their long, slightly downward-curving beaks. One of their favourite prey items is the mole cricket, an insect that is particularly common on the sandy and loamy soils of our Pantani bird sanctuary and which guarantees the birds a plentiful food supply throughout the year!
 
In the 19th century, the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) was a regionally common bird in Germany. Today it is on the Red List as Endangered (Category 3) due to a lack of suitable habitat and scarce food supply. The population of just 800-950 breeding pairs has however been slowly increasing slowly over the past few years.
 

Fourth Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp Report 2022
The bird conservationists participating in this year's Committee Against Bird Slaughter and Foundation Pro Biodiversity Cyprus autumn bird protection camp have now successfully completed 80% of this year's autumn deployment time without major incidents.

Contrary to what had been expected a fortnight ago, the autumn migration of Eurasian Blackcaps continued at an unchanged strong pace until the end of October. The bird poachers working with illegal nets, as well as the illegal bird hunters, likewise remained active. The decline in bird trapping with limesticks, which has been ongoing since mid-October, has enabled our bird conservationists to focus their bird rescue work increasingly on the net trapping sites used by the big names in the bird slaughter industry.
 
The highlights of the past 14 days of the bird protection camp were two successful bird protection operations against big players in the migratory bird slaughter industry, who we had repeatedly kept under surveillance and reported for their illegal net activities, but who were never caught red-handed and convicted by either the state game wardens or the police.
 
This autumn, employing the latest modern surveillance technology consistently and effectively, we were finally able to catch these 'untouchables' in action and secure watertight evidence that will stand up in court.
 
Another highlight was the successful surveillance and the dismantling of a large mist net system near Vrysoules, with two nets and an electronic bird call decoy system. Five Eurasian Blackcaps and a rare Egyptian Fruit Bat or Egyptian Rousette (Rousettus aegyptiacus) were rescued alive. This fruit-eating bat species is of great importance to Cyprus' natural heritage.
 
In Europe, the Egyptian Fruit Bat is only found in Cyprus. Its fondness for fruit has pushed it to the brink of existence in Cyprus due to massive persecution. With only an estimated 1,100 living specimens remaining, the species is threatened with extinction in Cyprus.

Bird Protection Camp Results: 04.09 - 02.11.2022:
 
Bird trappers

• 162 trapping sites observed on a regular basis
• 125 active trapping sites dismantled
• 40 trappers caught red-handed and reported
• 1,424 illegal limesticks destroyed
• 86 illegal mist net sites dismantled
• 54 electronic bird callers dismantled

Illegal bird hunting

• 64 hunting sites with illegal hunting activity identified
• 49 electronic bird callers dismantled
• 8 hunters caught red-handed shooting birds and reported 

Third Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp Report 2022
The bird protection activists participating in this year's Cyprus autumn bird protection camp operated and organised by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter and our Foundation have passed the halfway point almost unscathed after four weeks of operations. The climax of bird migration was reached some 10 days ago.

As autumn migration intensified with the increasing number of resting and foraging migratory birds on Cyprus, illegal bird trapping and hunting activities also increased enormously. Even though it saddened considerably our bird protection activists to do so, the focus of their bird rescue operations had to be concentrated on the big players in the bird killing industry.
 
According to information from a German nature conservation association, based on statements by Cypriot game wardens (forest police), illegal bird trapping on Cyprus (the Republic of Cyprus) has fallen to just 2% of its previous level, our activists are again unable to confirm this. In practice, the notoriously understaffed game warden unit lacks the time and the interest to systematically deal with the professional and aggressive bird poachers at night and early in the morning.
 
This year as well, massive illegal migratory bird trapping and illegal bird hunting is practised along the southern coast of the Republic of Cyprus and even in the British Sovereign Base Areas. Despite professional trapping site surveillance and conclusive evidence, the game wardens called upon to support our activists either had no time or showed little enthusiasm. Our teams had to do their work for them, As a result, the officially published low rate of bird trapping activities is unconvincing.

The highlights of the past 14 days of bird protection camp activities were three successful operations against the 'big players' in the bird slaughter industry. Our activists succeeded in catching red-handed and reporting two members of a young bird trapping gang in Lipoetri using four large illegal mist nets. This gang of youngsters has been cocking a snoot at the police and judiciary since 2009.
 
Our consistent monitoring of the largest illegal bird trapping grounds also led to the seizure of the bird poacher known as "Akas", who we have been after for a long time. He usually traps for several weeks with 3 - 7 large mist nets and has been making a fortune from bird trapping for many years. This time a single mist net was enough to confirm him as a repeat offender. We will follow matters closely in the hope that the court sentences "Akas" not only to the expected high fine but also to detention until the end of autumn bird migration.
 
In cooperation with the British Sovereign Base (SBA) police, we were finally able to achieve success against Y., who has been poaching near Cape Pyla with illegal mist nets for years. After we had already reported Y. twice, this time he was caught red-handed at his trapping site with a wildlife camera set up by the SBA police. As a result, he faces not only a fine but also the termination of the lease for the property that has been misused as a bird trapping site.

Bird Protection Camp Results: 04.09 - 15.10.2022

Bird trappers

• 151 trapping sites observed on a regular basis
• 93 active trapping sites dismantled
• 29 trappers caught red-handed and reported
• 1,424 illegal limesticks destroyed
• 59 illegal mist net sites dismantled
• 35 electronic bird callers dismantled 

Illegal bird hunting

• 38 hunting sites with illegal hunting activity identified
• 27 electronic bird callers dismantled
• 1 hunter caught red-handed shooting birds and reported  

Second Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp Report 2022
 The bird protection activists participating in this year's Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp operated and organised by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter and our Foundation have now been active for four weeks. Despite several requests, we will not disclose the current number of activists on the grounds of their protection and safety.
 
Latest information received from the Cyprus bird protection camp team leader documents the massive migratory bird trapping that has now begun not only in the Republic of Cyprus (EU), but also in the Turkish occupied region of Northern Cyprus. Illegal bird poachers and hunters in Cyprus discard any pretence of being law-abiding citizens as soon as they set foot in their own private property. Not only are migratory and native bird species caught illegally in large numbers and killed cruelly for the culinary pleasure of the palate and monetary profit, domestic animals such as dogs, chickens and pigeons are also kept in extremely cruel and barbaric conditions.
 
The highlights of the past 14 days were a successful operation against three bird trappers, who our teams observed conducting their illegal activities throughout the night and, with the support of the state game wardens called to the trapping site, were caught red-handed with 212 limesticks.
 
Another extraordinarily successful night operation was carried out together with two employees of the Taskenti Animal Park (a wildlife sanctuary) in Northern Cyprus near Cayirova, a hotspot of illegal bird trapping. Six illegal bird trapping sites were discovered and a huge number of 14 illegal trapping nets and 7 illegal electronic bird call decoys were dismantled. A direct encounter with bird trappers ended without further trouble after initial aggressive verbal abuse and the forced search of a bird activist's rucksack.
 
Bird Protection Camp Results: 04.09 - 02.10.2022
 
Bird trappers

• 131 trapping sites observed on a regular basis
• 66 active trapping sites dismantled
• 20 trappers caught red-handed and reported
• 881 illegal limesticks destroyed
• 32 illegal mist net sites dismantled
• 31 electronic bird callers dismantled 

Illegal bird hunting

• 31 hunting sites with illegal hunting activity identified
• 17 electronic bird callers dismantled