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Eastern Sovereign Base Area police are sending out a powerful 'two-pronged' message that the illegal hunting of birds in Cyprus must stop. The first is a hard-hitting approach that aims to catch poachers, seize their equipment and make them pay for their cruelty. The second aims to educate people on why poaching is unacceptable and must be stamped out. The no-nonsense approach was demonstrated last week when ESBA police set fire to thousands of pounds worth of illegal hunting equipment. Several television crews attended the burning of huge quantities of nets, lime sticks, loudspeakers, wires and cables at Dhekelia police station.
The televised images clearly demonstrated that the SBA police are successfully catching poachers and destroying their expensive equipment
The SBA police's educational approach has just been given a boost by their 2002 calendar that emphasises the Importance of Cyprus wild bird-life. Produced by the Support and Community Relations Department of the Dhekelia Division and funded by the SBA Administration and local sponsors, it features 12 beautiful birds that are either native to the island or use it as a migratory stop.
Under each colour photograph is information about the different birds and how humans are threatening their existence. For example, October has a picture of a Bee-eater with the wording: "Migratory birds travel from Northern Europe, through Southern Europe en route to North and Central Africa in their passage to Southern Africa. In doing so they stop off in Cyprus to rest. They are the property of all countries and a source of environmental wealth. Indiscriminate hunting in Cyprus violates this principle."
ESBA Superintendent, Malcolm Magnay said: "Enforcement and education are the two cornerstones of our anti-poaching campaign. We are particularly keen to get our message across to children who have been brought up in an environment where netting and poaching is the norm. We have to change their mind-set from a young age. Although the problem is not going to be solved overnight, we believe the message is getting through.
Supt Magnay added that his officers have received a "very positive feedback" from local people towards the televised burning of poaching equipment. He believes that this emphasised the fact even if poachers are not caught and fined in court, they are still severely hit in their pockets when their hunting equipment is seized.
As for the calendar, which has been distributed widely throughout the SBAs including schools, coffee shops and numerous commercial outlets, he said: "I am very pleased, it looks very professional and is clear in its message that these birds need our protection all of us."
The ESBA police have just launched a new initiative to deal with the widespread slaughtering of thrushes that have been attracted to Cyprus In unusually large numbers this year. This is because of the particularly harsh weather conditions being experienced across Europe. As well as using mist?nets and shooting individual birds, poachers are gathering around orchards, and sending their children in to frighten the birds into the air so they can be killed en masse.
Supt Magnay warned: "This last method, as well as being illegal, puts the children in great danger."
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