Good news for a Friday: a spotlight on Cyprus

I have just spent 42 hours in Cyprus at the invitation of our BirdLife partner on the island.  Given the spike in profile and public reaction to the recent report on the number of birds being illegally killed on the island (c.2.3 million in 2016), it was an opportunity to get a better understanding of the challenges and to meet some of the key people working together to deal with the problem.

However, my visit also coincided with a more positive story.  Below, I shall offer my reflections on the ongoing efforts to tackle bird crime but, first, I want to put a spotlight on some good news. 

Yesterday, I helped open a new bird hide (my first ever ribbon-cutting event) adjacent to the Akrotiri Marsh which has been the focus of a two-year project supported by the wonderful UK Government Darwin Initiative fund.  The RSPB has been working with BirdLife Cyprus, the Sovereign Base Area Administration (as the site lies within the area controlled by the British) and the local community to restore 150 hectares of a wetland to benefit populations of threatened species such as black-winged stilt, spur-winged lapwing, ferruginous duck and lemon-yellow tree frog. 

Standing shoulder to shoulder with our Darwin project partners (from left) the chair of BirdLife Cyrprus, local community leader and the Sovereign Base Commander

The site we’ve been working on is a remnant of a much larger marsh that was drained to prevent the spread of malaria over a hundred years ago and has since been subjected to a range of other pressures such as the construction of a dam and changing land use.  But the re-establishment of grazing coupled with some wetland creation techniques which we shared from our experience in the UK, promises to realise its nature conservation potential.  It’s a cracking site and is part of an area that has already been recognised as a Ramsar site, Special Protection Area and Special Area Conservation.

It was a pleasure to meet so many people involved in the project and to celebrate what we have achieved together over the past few years. 

Clearly, the RSPB has had a long history of working with and supporting BirdLife Cyprus, but much of what is reported understandably focuses on illegal bird trapping.  When a nature conservation problem has been around for so long and seems so intractable it inevitably shapes the perception that RSPB supporters will have of the island.  Some of our supporters have suggested that we should call for a boycott to deter tourists from visiting the island.  I understand the rationale for this but disagree with it.  A boycott would undermine our abilities (and especially those of BirdLIfe Cyprus) to engage with anyone actively on the island and is unlikely to deter the criminals.  What’s more, it’s not the only story of nature conservation on Cyprus as the Akrotiri marsh project shows we are improving the natural environment by working together.

Even on the issue of illegal bird killing there is some positive news to report. 

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to explore Cape Pyla which is where the illegal bird trapping is most intensive.  This is also an area governed by the Sovereign Base Area authorities and we were accompanied by the SBA police team responsible for enforcement.  While fully aware of the problem, I was shocked by the extent of trapping infrastructure that is used to catch the birds: acacia planted in large areas with rides cut and then carpeted to allow the installation of mist nets with technology used to blast out bird song to lure the birds into the nets.  Not only does this result in the outrageous and indiscriminate killing of both common and threatened species, this is also environmental vandalism on a massive scale within a protected area designated for its unique coastal scrub habitat.

Cape Pyla, showing the gap in planted and irrigated non-native acacia (you can see the pipe) used to erect mist nets and lure in birds

As I previously wrote, the SBA has controversially but rightly targeted acacia removal as a key part of its strategy.  However, it was clear that while progress had been made, we want it to go further and faster especially before the autumn season.  This issue, of course, was brilliantly highlighted recently by Harriet Allen in her Number 10 petition which attracted nearly 25,000 signatures in just four weeks prior to the General Election being announced.  The Ministry of Defence’s response to the petition [here], and the meetings I have had demonstrate that the SBA authorities and the police do take this issue incredibly seriously and have made a difference.  It was genuinely heartening to hear unity over the need for a strategy that looks at all possible ways to tackle both the demand for (those wanted to eat the birds in a dish called ambelopoulia) and the supply of illegally trapped birds. 

This is a longstanding, diplomatically delicate but not intractable environmental problem.  It is tarnishing the reputation of Cyprus and undermining the nature tourism potential of the islands.  Yet, I leave believing that there is a coalition of the willing prepared to do what it takes to reduce and hopefully, over time, eliminate illegal bird trapping.  The RSPB, of course, remains committed to playing our part.

It was serendipitous that the manifestos of the political parties emerged this week.  New commitments to environmental protection are always welcome, but when it comes to stamping out bird crime (be it in the UK or on UK overseas territories), the ultimate test of success will be the number of criminals caught and the reduction in the number of birds being illegally killed. 

I look forward to reporting more good news on the campaign to end bird crime very soon.