Green party condemns hunting at Anthoupolis wetland

The Green party on Friday condemned “unacceptable” illegal hunting within the fenced-off area of an Anthoupolis wetland and called on relevant authorities to intervene.

The party’s announcement cited mass reports from employees at a sewage treatment plant in Anthoupolis suggesting that hunters are illegally entering the nearby wetland to shoot prey, mainly birds, that gather near the water.

In his statements, the second vice president of the party, Adonis Yiangou said “the reported illegal hunting in an area so close to a residential area does not honour anyone.

“In addition, to the illegal hunting, hunters also destroy the natural environment and cause damage to the fence of the lake.”

He added that hunters leave behind their garbage and pollute the natural environment with the empty hunting shotgun cartridges.

“We immediately call on the competent bodies and the police to take the necessary actions to identify the offenders…and to immediately make a plan for the restoration of the environment,” the announcement concluded.

A witness living in the area told the Cyprus Mail that they could hear gunshots on several occasions earlier this year but could not determine if hunters were inside the fenced area.

The wetland was created in 2010, two years after the sewage treatment plant in Anthoupolis was built as one of three lakes where wastewater of the factory is collected, daily Politis reported.

Hunting is permitted around the specific area, however according to the law, no shooting is allowed inside any fenced area. Signs reading that hunting is prohibited are also visible on the fence.

Game service spokesman Petros Anagiotou said they have never received complaints about illegal hunting in the area but were informed by the sewage plant that hunters are hunting outside the fenced wetland, which is legal.

The officer specified that even hunters outside the fence cannot shoot inside the wetland’s immediate area.

Game officers who visited the site did not see anything suspicious, Anagiotou added.