On Sunday, November 23rd, 2008, inspection against poaching and illegal trade in protected species was carried out in the area of the Russian market in the town of Plovdiv. The action was organized by Green Balkans and the 3rd Regional Police Department in Plovdiv, as well as representatives of Plovdiv Municipality and Central Region Administration.
The inspection revealed sale of numerous protected songbirds of the following species: Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Siskin (Carduelis spinus), and Linnet (Acanthis cannabina). The protected birds were exposed in cages and offered for sale together with canaries, parrots, and other domestic animals. During the inspection none of the people standing near the cages with sold birds admitting being owners of the cages or the wild birds. As a result, more than 70 individuals of the protected species listed above were released right on the spot, and more than 15 cages were destroyed before lots of citizens who witnessed the inspection.
Green Balkans thanks all those who took part in the action, and the officials of 3rd Regional Police Department in particular, for their competent timely assistance!
We would like to remind that the above-listed species are included in the Biological Diversity Act, and according to Art. 38 thereof, catching, keeping, exposing publicly, transporting, and selling these species is prohibited.
Catching and selling of protected birds in the town of Plovdiv and its vicinities recurs every fall and winter, when songbirds gather in flocks. In 2001, on Green Balkans’ initiative, a Working Group against poaching and illegal trade in protected species was established to act in the area of Plovdiv. The group involved representatives of the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Waters, Regional Forest Board, Regional Service for Veterinary Medicine, the Municipalities of Plovdiv and Asenovgrad, the Police, the Hunters and Anglers’ Union, etc. The group carries out annual inspections against catching and selling of protected species. Despite all, poaching of songbirds continues. This calls for the implementation of more frequent inspections in catching areas, and mainly around the Russian market – the usual place for illegal trade.
For more information please contact:
Gradimir Gradev
Tel: +359 887210094
E-mail: ggradev@greenbalkans.org
Further information on the illegal trade in songbirds is available at [url">http://greenbalkans.org/show.php?language=en_EN&cat_id=88&id=302&
BlueLink: Action against poaching and illegal trade in protected species
857
