Bird hunting in Cyprus

Hare and bird hunting are still part of the culture in Cyprus. Figures fluctuate from year to year, but there are around 45,000 officially licensed hunters in Cyprus. I was on a Sunday walk when I saw three hunters.

The Cyprus Government has strict rules with regards to what wildlife can be hunted, where the hunting can take place, what species are protected, and when it can all take place.

For example, Game Reserves and State Forest areas are no hunting zones. Migratory corridors are also designated as no hunting areas during the bird migratory passage across Cyprus. Cyprus law bans all non-selective methods of trapping birds and killing of non game birds. There are high fees for infringing the rules.

Around 750,000 birds are shot illegally each year. The blackcap bird is specifically targeted illegally and is sold on as a delicacy known in Cyprus as ambelopoulia.

Currently the Cyprus Government charges €60 a year for a hunting license and uses these funds to improve the countryside and raise conservational awareness.

The hunting open season is:-

During January and February hunting can take place on Wednesdays and Sundays only and thrushes, woodpigeon, woodcock, ducks and geese can be hunted.

At the end of August there are three or four hunting days inland of the island and during this time only woodpigeon and turtle dove can be hunted.

September has very limited hunting areas in the Cyprus coastal regions where woodpigeon, turtle dove and quail can be hunted.

During November and December, hunting can take place on Wednesdays and Sundays only during which time hare, chukar partridge, black francolin, thrushes, woodpigeon and woodcock can be hunted.

There is a limit on quotas that a hunter is allowed to take. Hunters exceeding the quotas receive heavy fines. At the time of writing in 2017, quotas are two hares and five partridges per hunter per hunting day, or two hares, four partridges and one francolin per hunter per hunting day.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).