Hope arises for stronger prosecution of illegal wildlife poisoning and other wildlife crimes in Bulgaria, as the country establishes a dedicated police sector within the Ministry of the Interior, a momentous leap forward in protecting wildlife and its natural heritage. The newly formed “Crimes against the Environment and Wildlife” sector, operating under the Economic Police …
Illegal wildlife poisoning is a cruel and harmful practice. Despite being banned in many countries, it remains a prevalent method to eliminate animals perceived as pests or predators. However, the consequences extend far beyond the intended targets, affecting other wildlife and even humans. Leaving poison baits in open areas initiates a vicious cycle, indiscriminately killing …
New video vividly illustrates the vicious cycle of illegal wildlife poisoning Read More »
With the successful conclusion of the Wildlife Crime Academy‘s Level 3 Supreme Course on Wildlife Crime Analysis and Intelligence last Thursday, 20 April, in Málaga (Spain), the fight against wildlife crime has reached new heights, especially in terms of wildlife crime prosecution. The forty-four passionate participants from nine countries across Europe who obtained qualifications in …
How can electric fences support the recovery of vultures? Vultures face a significant threat from unintentional poisoning in the Balkans and worldwide. To tackle this issue, our partners focus on addressing the root cause. They are helping farmers in Greece prevent damages caused by animals on their livestock or crops through the installation of electric …
How can electric fences help save vultures from unintentional poisoning in Greece Read More »
Unsettling news from Europe and the Middle East, with several poaching incidents involving Griffon Vultures recently recorded. At least two vultures from the Balkans were shot and died. One Griffon Vulture was shot to death in Croatia while a Griffon Vulture from Serbia was also shot in Syria and eventually died. Two more vultures were …
Today, we are moving away from the Balkans to share a milestone in the fight against illegal wildlife poisoning in Cyprus, where for the first time, prosecuting authorities issued a €21,000 fine for poisoning and killing wild birds. The fine represents a big step forward that will hopefully have a strong deterrent effect on poisoning …
First illegal wildlife poisoning conviction achieved in Cyprus Read More »
On the last day of 2022, the Cinereous Vulture ‘Praha-Liberec,’ reintroduced in Bulgaria, was found dead in Greece. Based on the circumstances of the incident and the necropsy results, we suspect illegal poisoning killed the vulture. But, we are still pending the toxicology analysis results to confirm the cause of death. Released in Bulgaria to …
Cinereous Vulture reintroduced in Bulgaria dies in Greece Read More »
A new animation video produced by the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) within the BalkanDetox LIFE project illustrates the serious problem of illegal wildlife poisoning in the Balkans and how the project strives to combat this threat. It’s time to stop illegal wildlife poisoning – it harms us, our animals and nature! Watch the animation video on …
Animation video: It’s time to stop illegal wildlife poisoning Read More »
Four hunters were caught and prosecuted in Hungary for wildlife crime following an investigation led by the National Investigation Bureau of the Emergency Police (KR NNI). The authorities charged the hunters for the killing of ”Ichera”, a GPS-tagged Spanish Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) released in Bulgaria, and of 4 Common buzzards (Buteo buteo). In Hungary, the …
Hunters prosecuted in Hungary for killing Cinereous Vulture reintroduced in Bulgaria Read More »
2022 has been another busy year for the BalkanDetox LIFE team, realising several important achievements for the project’s success in fighting illegal wildlife poisoning. The project continued to analyse the extent and scope of poisoning across seven Balkan countries while building capacities and cooperating with the relevant stakeholders to effectively monitor, manage and investigate such …
