Common press release of the Hellenic Ornithological Society and the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace.

Training seminar on the management of illegal use and dispersal of poisoned baits in nature was held in Dadia on Thursday 16 May 2024.

The seminar was organized by the Hellenic Ornithological Society and the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace in the framework of the cross- border Balkan Detox Project and the initiative "Alliance for Wildlife", and was addressed to employees of Forestry Services, the Police, N.E.C.C.A. and the Hunting Federation of the prefecture of Evros.

A total of 42 employees (scientific staff and guards) participated in the practical training and attended the educational presentations of the seminar hosted by the N.E.C.C.A. at the Information Centre of the Dadia - Lefkimi - Soufli Forest National Park.

The training included a theoretical and practical session, focused on the investigation of incidents with poison baits and animals in the countryside, on the systematic process of the recording of the elements of a criminal act of poisoning, on the use of the right equipment for the collection of the samples and evidence, the completion of the appropriate protocols and the right investigation of the identification of the perpetrators. The seminar speakers were authorities’ staff and qualified scientists from the two environmental organizations- organizers of the seminar with long experience in the management of poisoned baits incidents.   

It was also discussed the legal framework on which a legal case of wildlife, domestic or stray animal poisoning outside the urban area can be based.

"“It is very important that investigations into poisoning incidents in the wild are carried out by the competent authorities which can lead to convictions, so that we can prevent similar incidents in the future. We need to recognize the signs of poisoning of wild animals and more importantly we need to collect right and systematically all the data and evidence to organize a record that will lead to the preparation of a good case file for the prosecution of the guilty says Ms. Elizabeth Kret” operator of the Anti-poison Dog Unit of The Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace.» αναφέρει η κ. Ελισάβετ Κρετ, χειρίστρια της Ειδικής Μονάδας Ανίχνευσης Δηλητηριασμένων Δολωμάτων της Εταιρείας Προστασίας Βιοποικιλότητας της Θράκης.

"“The growing interest of the competent authorities to participate in training seminars on how to deal with and solve poisoning incidents, gives us hope that crime against wildlife is being acknowledged as a priority in our country. The immediate next step is that the penalties imposed, should be commensurate with the damage that these crimes cause to biodiversity and potentially to public health” says Ms. Nadia Sideri Manoka, Species’ Protection Officer at the Policy Department of the Hellenic Ornithological Society.» δηλώνει η κ. Νάντια Σιδέρη-Μανώκα, Υπεύθυνη Προστασίας Ειδών στο Τμήμα Πολιτικής της Ελληνικής ΟΡΝΙΘΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ Εταιρείας.

Notes:

1. You can download relevant visual material ΕΔΩ
2. The Balkan detox life project “Strengthening the national capacity to combat wildlife poisoning and raise awareness of the problem in the Balkans" (LIFE19 GIE/NL/001016) is implementing during the period 2020-2025 aiming to improve the management of poisoning incidents and reduce morality of vultures and wildlife in general from the illegal use of poisoned baits. The partners of the project are the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) -coordinating beneficiary-, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Ornithological Society of Croatia, the Albanian Ornithological Society, the Ecological Society of North Macedonia, the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia, the Protection and Conservation of Natural Environment in Albania, the Ornithological Society of Nase Ptice and the Wildlife Fund (FWFF) - Bulgaria.
3. The "Alliance for Wildlife" is the collective effort of 11 environmental NGOs to maximize the impact of their actions, with a common vision for the well-being of wildlife and people. The member organizations of the initiative are the ANIMA - Association for the Protection of Wildlife, the ARCHELON – The sea turtle protection society of Greece, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace, the Society for the protection of Prespa, the Hellenic Institution of Speleological Research, the KALLISTO-Environmental Organization for Wildlife and Nature, the iSea, the MEDASSET-Mediterranean association to Save the sea turtles, the TETHYS-Research Institute and WWF Greece. The projects of the initiative are implemented with the support of WWF Greece.
4. Τhe programme of the seminar: