A sad reflection of local attitudes to our natural resources

Your recent reports of declining tourist numbers and yields suggest that an effort needs to be made to move our tourism sector upmarket.

The island’s natural resources could easily be exploited for this purpose, especially the magnificent spring and autumn bird migrations.

Tens of thousands of birds of hundreds of species visit our island during these periods, and their presence would appeal greatly to the generally well-heeled wildlife tourism sector.

However, this is unlikely to happen.

A large number of bee-eaters, a magnificent bird considered exotic by many Europeans, are passing through the island at present. Yesterday evening I was watching large flocks circling over fields close to Limassol. Sadly, a dozen gunmen – the term ‘hunter’ is too ennobling – were blazing away at them.

The birds that were not killed lay fluttering on the ground. The gunmen ignored them. This scene, of swirling masses of colour, aerobatics, and birdsong would have delighted bird-watching tourists. But our island’s reputation for wildlife abuse, established by massacres such as I witnessed yesterday, mean that such economically-beneficial visitors will stay away.

It’s a sad reflection of local attitudes to our natural resources, reflected not only in the actions of the Limassol gunmen and the trappers of the south and east coasts, but includes all-too-frequent permissions for insensitive development and extends to the government itself with its disinterest in the proper protection of such unique and valuable features as the Akamas.

We really do need to re-think our attitudes towards nature, a gift that could be benignly exploited for the benefit of all.

AD, UK

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.