A 50-YEAR-old man tried to smash his car into three game wardens yesterday as they attempted to remove nets which he had placed to illegally capture blackcaps (ambelopoulia).
The three game wardens and the man were transported to Nicosia General Hospital with minor injuries after the incident, which occurred at 1.30am yesterday morning in the Liopetri – Sotira area. As soon as the 50-year-old recovered sufficiently he was charged in writing and then released by police.
A Police spokesman said: “Wardens were patrolling the area when they spotted an illegal bird trapping net. They were in the process of taking it down when a man attempted to hit them with his car.”
The police spokesman confirmed that the man has since been charged on multiple counts, including assaulting police officers, resisting arrest, dangerous and reckless driving and for attempting to illegally capture wild game.
Scuffles between wardens and poachers have become more common lately and
Pantelis Hadjiyerou, Director of the Cyprus Game Fund insists that the situation is being further inflamed by MPs and local authorities who undermine the game wardens task with their attitude.
Hadjiyerou said: “The situation has not changed at all; our wardens are under constant pressure from MPs and certain members of local authorities that still maintain that this is a Cypriot tradition and believe that the law should not be enforced.”
Hadjiyerou believes that game wardens take great risks each time they go out to fulfil their duties “just last week some wardens were shot at when they were trying to take down nets” Hadjiyerou said.
According to a report recently published by conservation organisation BirdLife Cyprus over two million birds are expected to be caught by illegal trappers this year.
Birdlife maintain that illegal bird poaching in Cyprus will reach a ten-year high despite the work of game wardens and police poaching units that conduct regular raids.
Some progress has been made however as 37 people have been arrested this year since August 20, which is a large increase compared to last year where 29 people were arrested throughout the year. Birdlife however maintain that the average fine handed out (€400) is not really sufficient as poachers don’t really consider it a deterrent.
