The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and British broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham are in Cyprus “to confront one of the most notorious bird trappers and expose this crime against nature to the world,” BirdLife Cyprus said in a statement. “We hope their action, undertaken at personal risk, will help drive real change. The situation has reached a critical point, and they deserve recognition for their courage and persistence,” the organisation added.
‘A brazen illegality that shames the country’
BirdLife Cyprus warned that the ongoing trapping is not only cruel but also brazenly defended in public, damaging Cyprus’s international reputation. “This flagrant illegality exposes Cyprus abroad. It is not just the brutality of the act, but the unabashed audacity of publicly defending it,” the group said.
Call for enforcement: police and Game & Fauna Service urged to act
The organisation questioned the effectiveness of enforcement to date, urging immediate intervention by the Cyprus Police Anti-Poaching Unit, in cooperation with the Game and Fauna Service. “Where is the application of the law? How long will this shameful practice be allowed to continue with impunity?” BirdLife Cyprus asked.
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