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  • All
  • Activities
  • All about birds
  • Announcements
  • Conservation & Science
  • In the press
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© Melpo Apostolidou
Activities

Akrotiri Spring Festival

April 27, 2023
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wheat, field, sunset-2391348.jpg
Conservation & Science

The health of the Cyprus countryside through the birds’ perspective

April 7, 2023
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IMG_20230302_133340
In the press

14 more Griffon Vultures have arrived from Spain

March 3, 2023
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swallows, bird's nest, animal
Announcements

“Μελετώντας τα Χελιδόνια, τους φτερωτούς μας γείτονες”, ένα πρόγραμμα επιστήμης των πολιτών για μαθητές Δημοτικής

February 28, 2023
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© Ben Porter
In the press

Bird trapping with nets continues to decline, limestick use levels worrying

February 28, 2023
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© Sebastien Closs
In the press

Ένα ικανοποιητικό Τοπικό Σχέδιο Ακάμα

February 24, 2023
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© Dattatreya Patra / Unsplash
In the press

Lead ammunition finally banned from wetlands across the EU

February 15, 2023
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Νυχτοπάππαρος © Zoltán Tölgyesi
In the press

Αντίδραση BirdLife Cyprus για τις κινητοποιήσεις λατόμων στην Επαρχία Πάφου

February 3, 2023
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Photo by Stelios Demetriou
In the press

A first for Cyprus: €21,000 fine imposed for wildlife poisoning

January 23, 2023
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© Sebastien Closs
Policy

Κοινή δήλωση για το Τοπικό Σχέδιο Ακάμα

January 19, 2023
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Cape Greco
All about birds

Five things green for the next President

January 13, 2023
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six species poorer
All about birds

Six species poorer: the birds we’ve lost in the last decades

January 4, 2023
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Almyrolivado
Policy

Cyprus falls flat on the way it implements EU environmental laws and policies

December 2, 2022
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Every year an estimated 25 million birds are illegally killed around the Mediterranean. Cyprus has been assessed as one of the five worst countries with, until very recently, over two million birds killed annually. As the third largest island in the Mediterranean, it is a crucial stopover site for migrating birds, with the incredible passage of millions of songbirds, waterfowl and birds of prey during each spring and autumn. Unsurprisingly, the hunting and trapping of migrant birds is rooted deep in the historical culture of the island. The local dish of Ambelopoulia, consisting of blackcaps and other songbirds, was originally a food supplement. However, bird trapping is no longer about tradition and has become widespread, driven by profit and involving organised crime. This is to fuel the continuing illegal demand for the dish, with diners prepared to pay €80 or more for a plate of a dozen birds. I have worked for the RSPB, the UK BirdLife partner, on wildlife crime for over 30 years and first visited Cyprus in 2000. Since then, I have made many visits to help BirdLife Cyprus tackle the illegal trapping and killing of migrant birds. The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and their dedicated team of volunteers have also been highly active in Cyprus for over a decade locating and reporting illegal trapping and shooting sites. Most of my work has been in the UK Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA), along with time at other trapping and shooting hotspots in Cyprus. In 2016, I helped set up a program of covert surveillance on the ESBA and, with the zero-tolerance enforcement by the SBA authorities, it has been highly encouraging to see the levels of bird trapping have been massively reduced. In other parts of Cyprus, it is clear more serious problems with illegal bird killing continue.
All about birds

Illegal bird killing: the darker side of Cyprus

November 30, 2022
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© Silvio A. Rusmigo
All about birds

Our Safe Haven for birds – officially ours!

November 9, 2022
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Day5-Kostas-release_9
All about birds

Update on the recently released Spanish vultures

November 4, 2022
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Photo from Pixabay.com
All about birds

Cats: lovable pets with a big downside for nature

November 4, 2022
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Bird-Camp-on-Cyprus-image007
All about birds

Cyprus Bird Camp in Akanthou

October 31, 2022
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Troodos Forest
In the press

Περιβαλλοντικές οργανώσεις ζητούν απόσυρση προτεινόμενου νομοσχεδίου για τη διευκόλυνση επενδύσεων

October 27, 2022
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© Carlos Taylor
All about birds

Five raptors to watch out for this autumn

September 30, 2022
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DSC1335
Conservation & Science

First vultures from Spain released in Cyprus

September 29, 2022
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