Bird trapping activity remains low in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) as the Ambelopoulia migration season draws to a close, police said Wednesday.
Anti-trapping operations have continued at pace throughout the season, according to the SBA Police. Officers from the Community Action Team (CAT) worked alongside non-governmental organizations to detect and deter illegal activity within the SBAs.
Between Aug. 1 and Oct. 17, authorities recorded eight cases involving mistnets and three related to the illegal use of bird-imitating devices to poach quails.
Police said their proactive enforcement strategy has contributed to a more than 98% reduction in bird trapping incidents since 2016.
Dhekelia Chief Inspector George Louis credited the decline to close collaboration with NGOs, including the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and BirdLife Cyprus.
“The SBA Police respond proactively to any identified bird trapping cases, whether flagged by our partners or our own intelligence unit,” Louis said. “Our CAT team can also call on 60 additional officers in the Eastern SBAs, who patrol around the clock, and request military support when needed.”
SBA Administrator Maj. Gen. Tom Bewick met last week with representatives from BirdLife Cyprus and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in Akrotiri. He reaffirmed his commitment to combating bird crime and assured partners that efforts would continue despite recent successes.