The teams of our current bird protection camp conducted intelligence-led field investigations against illegal mist nets in the towns of Saida and Barja, south of Beirut. A total of 5 active trapping sites were discovered. To lure the birds into the traps, poachers used electronic calling machines imitating the song of blackcap. The findings were immediately reported to the Lebanese police (Internal Security Forces) who reacted very quickly by systematically dismantling and seizing a total of 12 large nets (with a total surface area of more than 500 square meters) plus 9 calling machines. With the help of our volunteers 30 live birds – Blackcaps and Redstarts – were safely released. Four poachers – who are also the landowners of the trapping sites – have been identified by the ISF and are expected to await a court hearing in due course. The bird protection camp is a joint operation of Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), and Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon and the Middle.
