Members of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) in Cyprus said on Friday they found several dead birds including three owls at a mist-netting site in Liopetri, in the Famagusta district.

The birds were discarded at the site, the group said.

It added that trappers were using a decoy and two large mist nets.

“As soon as we spotted the traps we called the game wardens. However, as it often happens, they said they were going to arrive late,” the group said.

“We were forced to take action and confront the trapper who was filmed and later reported to the police station,” it added.

Upon closer inspection of the site, they said they found among many others, killed and discarded, two barn owls and one long eared owl on the ground.

“It looks like this trapping site was active for a few weeks before our intervention…,” they said.

CABS volunteers scour the island for trapping sites with the aim of protect migratory birds and bring poachers to justice.