An unlucky young Griffon Vulture stranded on a rocky beach at Episkopi Bay saw its luck turn around thanks to a BirdLife Cyprus volunteer that happened to be in the area. The bird was found wet, in distress and unable to fly. Immediately, BirdLife Cyprus informed the Game and Fauna Service as well as the […]
Stranded young vulture rescued at Episkopi Bay Read More »
News of the Ministerial Council approving a framework for financial support of a solar-thermal park in Alassa from the State should have been welcoming. Especially because climate change is one of the most significant threats facing our planet today and renewable energy is part of the answer to this problem. It could have been welcoming
New solar-thermal park in Alassa puts Cyprus vultures at risk Read More »
You have probably heard the devastating news about the fires currently destroying the Amazon rainforest – the result of formerly successful forest protection laws being rapidly dismantled. Not only does this vital ecosystem regulate the entire planet’s climate, but it is also home to an enormous wealth of rare and unique species found nowhere else. As
“Our forests are dying” – here’s our manifesto Read More »
Goodbye flip-flops, hello pumpkin spice lattes! Wait; what? This doesn’t feel quite right. Why can’t I get my autumn mood on? Could it be because my skin is still overreacting and messing with my SPF? Maybe it’s because I still feel the inescapable need to be at the beach and do… absolutely nothing. Or perhaps
The paradox of autumn bird migration in Cyprus Read More »
For 116 years, not a single White Stork nested in Montenegro. Instead, migrating storks flew straight over the country in search of breeding grounds elsewhere. The last pair fled the country at the end of the 19th century, when illegal poaching and human disturbance became too intense. For years, it seemed Montenegro was simply too dangerous
Perko and Perka: the bird celebrities who brought White Storks back to Montenegro Read More »
As the EU takes legal action against France and Spain for failing to protect the Turtle Dove, hunting season in Cyprus continues as ‘business as usual’, and then some… The Turtle Dove was once a very common farmland bird species. But over the last 30 years, its European population has decreased dramatically due to increasing
Cyprus increases hunting pressure on threatened Turtle Dove Read More »
Pambos, a satellite-tagged loggerhead turtle named by the Bycatch Project team, is proving to be a great wanderer, with ‘romance’ the apparent driving force! One of the biggest threats seabirds and other marine animals are facing is being incidentally killed as ‘bycatch’ in fisheries. Through the Cyprus Bycatch Project, we aim to understand the magnitude of
Pambos, the wandering turtle Read More »
Total of 26 bird killers caught by covert surveillance so far The British Bases (SBA) court at Dhekelia yesterday handed out sentences to four more bird trappers caught on covert cameras in the Dhekelia SBA during 2018. The convicted trappers were fined, while three of them also received 18-month suspended prison sentences. These penalties match
Bird trappers feel the heat in Cyprus Read More »
At a time when nature is facing an unprecedented crisis, states now more than ever have an obligation to protect their Natura 2000 sites. In the case of Cyprus, however, the state is not only failing to protect these precious sites, it is destroying them by its own hand, turning a blind eye to the
Three heavy blows to Cyprus nature: the undermining of the Natura 2000 network Read More »
It is always rewarding to see the smile on a farmer’s face when they hear that a Barn Owl has occupied “their” nest box. Since 2015, we’ve been installing Barn Owl boxes in collaboration with farmers and farming communities with funding from the Tasso Leventis Conservation Foundation. The aim is to turn to a wildlife-friendly
The Barn Owl project: From small beginnings to a national action plan Read More »
Swimming, sunbathing, watersports, you name it. Lady’s Mile is by far the most popular beach in Limassol. And why not? With its warm, shallow and clear waters and its sandy beach, it is the perfect place for a family to spend its summer weekends. It is actually such a wonderful place to spend one’s time
What’s Lady’s Mile besides Limassol’s top beach, and why the fuss? Read More »
BirdLife Cyprus expresses deep concerns about a concert scheduled to take place without any environmental permit on 23 June at Lady’s Mile and which will have impact on vulnerable bird species for which the area is protected. In the summer, beaches like Lady’s Mile are a popular destination for bathing, dining or even events. But
Beach parties and those who pay the price for them Read More »
Although endemic, Cyprus Wheatears are migratory and every autumn they travel to countries like Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea to spend the winter, before returning to us in spring again to breed. Robert Patchett, a PhD student at the University of St. Andrews, is studying the migratory patterns of the species and tells us where Blue-blue-blue-metal, one
What has ‘Blue-blue-blue-metal’ been up to? Read More »
A new report released by BirdLife Europe & Central Asia confirms that the EU will fail to hit its own deadline to reverse the decline of biodiversity, as outlined in its ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020’. This assessment shows that there is a grotesque failure to change the fundamental policies that drive biodiversity destruction, namely in agriculture,
European governments leave nature on its deathbed Read More »
On Sunday, voters will have their say on what sort of Europe they want for the next five years – a period that will be crucial for the future of nature. Our planet is at a critical turning point: human activities are causing a collapse of biodiversity and an impoverishment of ecosystems on a scale
The 11 Cypriot candidate MEPs who pledge to protect nature Read More »
The European Honey-buzzard is fearless in the face of stinging wasps and hornets – but it has no defence against illegal shooting for sport. In Italy, “anti-poaching camps” sparked an extremely successful movement, which has saved thousands of honey-buzzards. The European Honey-buzzard is one of seven flagship birds in our Flight for Survival campaign to raise awareness
Anti-poaching camps give Honey Buzzard sweet taste of success Read More »
Not even a month had passed since I started my postgraduate studies in Education for Sustainable Development / Environmental Education, when I realized that this is what I want to do: to inspire in others respect and love for the planet we share and empower people to take action towards a better future and safe
Building the future through nature education Read More »
Dear Minister, As you know, our seas have been under attack for decades from pollution, littering, overfishing, or destruction of the seabed. Protecting and restoring our seas is a political issue. The state of our oceans in numbers: ̴ 275,000 tons of plastics enters the EU seas every year 85% of Mediterranean fish stocks are overfished ̴
Open letter to the Minister of Environment: Small voices with a big message Read More »
Can you imagine a world without birds? The benefits birds bring us aren’t just cultural. Birds play an essential role in the functioning of the world’s ecosystems, in a way that directly impacts human health, economy and food production – as well as millions of other species. Here’s how… 1. Birds control pests It might
Why we need birds (even more than they need us) Read More »
BirdLife Cyprus publishes today its manifesto for the 2019 European Elections and calls on the candidate MEPs in Cyprus to commit to protect nature should they get elected to the new European Parliament. The manifesto is published in the framework of BirdLife Cyprus‘ campaign ‘I vote Nature’ (#IvoteNature). The campaign aims to inform citizens about
European Elections 2019: ‘I vote Nature’ Read More »
Last week we witnessed a mass migration of Painted Lady butterflies in Cyprus. This species of butterfly (Vanessa cardui) is one of the most known migratory butterfly species in Europe. The butterflies were coming from Israel in large numbers and flying north-west out to sea towards Turkey and Greece. This migration occurs every year in Cyprus,
Painted Butterfly migration in Cyprus Read More »
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