Authorities urge stronger measures against persistent hare poachers in Androlykou
Poachers in Androlykou continue to illegally hunt hares on an almost nightly basis despite repeated reports and fines, officials told the House environment committee on Tuesday. Pantelis Hadjiyerou, head of the Game and Fauna Service, revealed that poaching revenues now exceed €10 million yearly and criticized current financial penalties as ineffective, proposing authorities be granted power to revoke offenders' firearms and driving licenses.
Lawmakers highlighted the problem of repeat offenders, citing a Larnaca poacher fined €13,500 over six violations who continued poaching shortly after paying. Deputy police chief Michalis Katsounotos admitted enforcement efforts dropped due to other priorities such as the Cyprus EU Council presidency and foot-and-mouth disease patrols. He also noted many poachers evade fines, leading to less severe court settlements.
The committee discussed tensions involving bird protection activists accused of harassing legal hunters and property owners, with environmental groups warning against framing activists as the problem. BirdLife Cyprus reported submitting 79 police reports resulting in 25 prosecutions and estimated that over 700,000 birds are trapped illegally in Cyprus annually, underscoring the ongoing severity of wildlife crime on the island.
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