News: Short & sweet / archive
October to December 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, our heartfelt best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, together with a huge thank you, go to all who have again shown such commitment and support for our foundation's work for the benefit of nature and its incredible biodiversity this year.

Despite many worrying economic and political developments in Germany and the world, the 22nd year of our nature and species conservation project work was a good and successful one to the benefit of flora and fauna biodiversity. As in the past 21 years, we could only conduct our statutory project work this year thanks to the ongoing financial support of many loyal and first-time donors and sponsors. Once again, our heartfelt thanks.

We would also like to sincerely thank the tenants of our foundation-owned nature conservation areas for fulfilling our species-protecting land use requirements for the benefit and strengthening of our biotope areas and the diversity of wildlife species found there with great expertise and passionate conviction.

We are well prepared and full of optimism as we enter our 23rd year of working to protect endangered species. We will continue to pursue and develop our existing nature and species conservation projects with great passion and, together with you, are particularly looking forward to successfully tackling the challenges ahead of us in new nature and species conservation land purchase projects in Germany and Italy.

Thank you for your loyalty and your continued sponsorship support.

Republic of Cyprus: Report # 5 from the Autumn Bird Protection Camp
Since the end of October, an increasing number of bird hunters have been operating illegally on Cyprus, ruthlessly optimising the hunting of the song thrushes and skylarks on stopover with the massive support of illegal electronic bird call decoy devices. The high number of migratory birds killed in this way still tempts many bird hunters to use this illegal hunting method despite the risk of heavy fines. 
 
With the operational focus of our bird conservationists' nocturnal rescue missions on the actively used hunting sites, the number of bird hunters caught in the act and reported to the police rose continuously.

In the last two weeks of the bird protection camp's deployment in November alone, two bird poachers were caught trapping birds with limesticks, and ten bird hunters were caught using bird call decoys to support bird hunting illegally.
 
In almost 12 weeks of operations, 14 bird conservationists from six European countries once again demonstrated remarkable stamina, great civil courage and passion in the fight against the appalling murder of migratory birds.
 
The most important result of the bird protection camp work is the high number of charges preferred against bird trappers and bird hunters caught red-handed. Hefty fines demonstrably have a lasting effect on other active bird poachers and bird hunters in the region, as the penalties range from €600.00 to €8,000.00.!

Results of the Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp 09.09.2024 – 28.11.2024
(Previous year's results 2023 in brackets)
 
Bird trappers

• 125 illegal trapping sites identified and monitored (91)
• 1,302 illegal limesticks dismantled and destroyed (1,602)
• 88 mist nets found and removed (70)
• 48 trappers caught red-handed and charges preferred (62)
• 101 electronic bird callers dismantled (119)
• 717 migratory birds freed alive from traps (862)  

Bird hunters

• 86 hunting sites with illegal bird hunting activity identified (93)
• 26 hunters using illegal bird callers caught and charges preferred

Bird poachers and illegal bird hunters on Cyprus will soon welcome the return of the highly motivated bird conservationists from CABS and our Foundation in the bird-trapping areas of Cyprus after only a short break for recuperation.
 

Republic of Cyprus: Report # 4 from the Autumn Bird Protection Camp
Not unexpectedly, our bird protection activists also experienced extremely active bird poachers and a sharp increase in illegal bird hunters during the 4th and 5th bird protection camp weeks this autumn. With the departure of the Eurasian Blackcaps from Cyprus towards the south since the end of October, the poaching of migratory birds with illegal limesticks and nets is gradually decreasing. However, hardcore bird poachers are switching to capturing Song Thrushes, European Robins and European Stonechats using illegal electronic bird callers.

Since the end of October, hunters have also been increasingly active, ruthlessly optimising their hunting instinct for the arriving Song Thrushes and Eurasian Skylarks with the help of illegal bird callers. The use of these prohibited decoy systems means that up to ten times more thrushes are shot at the hunting sites.
 
Fortunately, the number of bird hunters caught in the act and reported to the police increased in line with the number of nocturnal bird rescue operations carried out by our bird conservationists at the hunting sites.

Since the end of October, nine bird poachers and seven hunters have been caught and reported. One hunter was caught red-handed by our bird conservationists, shooting thrushes and larks directly behind his house. He will receive a hefty fine because hunting in residential areas is strictly prohibited. Whether he will learn from the expected heavy fine remains to be seen next year. 
 
Results of the Autumn Cyprus Bird Protection Camp 09.09.2024. – 11.11.2024 (nine weeks)
 
Bird trappers

• 112 illegal bird trapping sites identified and monitored
• 1,218 illegal limesticks dismantled
• 77 mist nets found and removed
• 46 trappers caught and charges preferred
• 47 electronic bird callers dismantled
• 690 migratory birds released alive from traps 

Bird hunters

• 56 hunting sites with illegal bird hunting activity identified
• 16 hunters using illegal bird caught and charges preferred
• 33 illegal electronic bird callers dismantled

Republic of Cyprus: Report # 2 from the Autumn Bird Protection Camp
As expected, our bird protection activists also observed considerable activity by bird poachers and hunters during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of this autumn's bird protection camp. Following the widespread absence of bird poachers and hunters during spring bird migration in Cyprus, it goes without saying that the ‘big players’ in the bird slaughter industry are already taking advantage of the current very strong influx of migratory birds to Cyprus to maximise their profits from this bloody business.
 
The greed for tax-free profit is so great among some poachers and hunters that we are currently recatching bird poachers whom we had already caught and reported years ago and who paid heavy fines at the time.
 
Clearly, fines need to be substantially more severe before they wise up!

Results of the Cyprus Autumn Bird Protection Camp 09.09.2024 – 28.09.2024 (3 weeks)
(Results of the Autumn Bird Protection Camp 03.09. – 02.10.2023 (4 weeks))
 
Bird poachers

• 92 illegal trapping sites found and monitored (97)
• 39 active trapping sites found (37)
• 436 illegal limesticks dismantled (838)
• 43 mist nets found and dismantled (19)
• 13 bird poachers caught red-handed, and charges preferred (20)
• 21 electronic bird callers dismantled (16)
• 476 migratory birds freed alive from limesticks and nets (230) 

Bird hunters

• 17 hunting sites with illegal bird hunting activity identified  (29)
• 2 hunters caught with illegal bird callers and charges preferred (2)
• 13 illegal electronic bird callers dismantled (21)