Opportunity costs of mismanaged natural assets for tourism and conservation; a report by Terra Cypria. http://www.conservation.org.cy/

1. COLLATERAL IMPACTS OF TRAPPING ON TOURISM AND
PROPOSALS TO OVERCOME THEM
July 2011
Report by
Costas Orountiotis, Environmental Engineer
Panayiota Koutsofta, Environmental Studies
Artemis Yiordamli, Geographer-Lawyer

2. Bird migration map
Source: Κουρτελλαρίδης Λ., Τα πουλιά που φωλιάζουν στην Κύπρο, 1997

3. Well over 300 bird species use Cyprus as a rest-stop on their
migratory route.
Source: Bird Holidays: Cranes on Öland
Nets and limesticks are illegal, non-
selective bird trapping methods.
Source: Cyprus killing Europe’s songbirds for a snack

4. In 2010 BirdLife Cyprus estimated that 1.700.000 birds were illegally
trapped and killed, many of which were not ambelopoulia (black caps).
They included many endangered and protected species. And they
were not even edible.
FoE found over 100 species in this ‘by-catch’.
Otus scops cyprius (γκιώνης)
S. Christodoulidis (Σ. Χριστοδουλίδης)

5. Such actions
impact worldwide biodiversity
and
break EU and International law!
…but that is not what we wish to talk about now...
source: Thomas Hadjikyriakou

6. We shall talk about
everyone’s most
pressing obsession
£
€
$

7. If some people wish to eat
‘ambelopoulia,’ does it affect
your wallet and mine?

8. If you live in Cyprus and your livelihood
depends on tourism, and especially if you are:
• a hotel owner
• restaurant owner
• a hotel / restaurant employee
• a shop keeper
• a builder of holiday homes
• a tourist agent / travel agent
• a tourist guide
• a taxi driver
... then bird trapping affects YOU!

9. Citizens from the European countries which provide our
tourists have a different attitude to birds…
www.brilliantstudent.com
Others
www.noitikiantistasis.com
Cypriot
www.dailymail.co.uk

10. Cyprus is among that privileged group of countries
visited by migratory birds
We have a choice:
Scenario A:
We exploit the millions of migrant visitors
by killing them and eating them as a delicacy!
or
Scenario B:
We utilise the opportunity provided by
the millions of migrant visitors to attract
tourists and promote a positive image of
Cyprus.

11. Scenario A will lead to…
• Intensification of activist protests
• Embarrassment in international media
• Immediate electronic coverage of all negative
incidents
• Tourist boycott of Cyprus by bird groups and
sensitised individuals
• Reactions in foreign parliaments

12. Bird slaughter makes
sensational news.
As long as it goes on, there
will be economic
repercussions for Cyprus.

13. Terra Cypria has tried to measure
these economic repercussions:
are they worth considering?
are they serious?

14. Who profits from illegal bird trapping?
BirdLife’s 2010 provisional estimate: 1 700 000 birds killed
There are no statistics for the numbers of different species
that are trapped…
…so let’s estimate that only 1 000 000 of these birds are
edible
Since ‘ambellopoulia’ cost €60 per dozen, or €5 per bird:
€5.000.000 goes to trappers and restauranteurs

15. Meanwhile, what has Cyprus lost?
Those tourists who decided not to visit
Cyprus, because of our behaviour
towards migratory birds.
Can we count how many made such a
decision?

16. We used the number of people
who sent negative electronic
comments to Cypriot
Government Ministers in autumn
2010
Committee Against Bird Slaughter Campaign:
5200 responses by December 2010

17. Cost calculations based on data from the Cyprus Tourism Organisation
(CTO)
5200 complainants x 75% = 3900 from tourist originating countries
Assume 50% traveling with partners = 1950 partners
5850 people who will not come to Cyprus
Say 5900 people x €70/day (average per CTO) x 10 days (average per CTO) =
€4 095 000
lost income from people who complained

18. According to CTO, for every person that makes a
written complaint there are 25 others who feel the
same way. They do not bother to complain
formally, but stay away in protest.
€ 4.095.000 x 10 = € 40.950.000
Whereas if we use CTO’s multiplier of 25 “silent protesters’’,
then the annual unrealized income is …
€ 4.095.000 x 25 = € 102.375.000!

19. So for €5.000.000 of domestically generated
income we may lose between €40-100 m. as
unrealized income from overseas.

20. Conclusion 1:
As long as there is a demand for ambelopoulia, illegal supply will continue
Conclusion 2:
As long as there is tolerance towards illegal bird trapping, activists’
demonstrations will continue and intensify, harming our island’s image.
Conclusion 3:
Consequences are not only legal and environmental, they also directly
affect our pockets
Conclusion 4:
Other than lost revenue because of our behaviour towards birds, we also
lose unrealised income because we cannot promote Cyprus as a bird-
watching centre
Conclusion 5:
We must change our attitudes! Move from the
current Scenario A to Scenario B

21. Deeply rooted cultural attitudes will not change
simply because of criminalization and punishment.
They change when political leaders and cultural
icons lead by example towards a new direction.
Πηγή:www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpFrs/TMTHd4HExmI/
AAAAAAAAN0o/19wxA-ghFic/s1600/Bornean%2BBird%2BFestival_Sepilok

22. In Cyprus our most vocal politicians express outrage
about “citizens’ rights”
A typical news title:
- “Police invade restaurant and terrorize
customers”
It could easily have appeared as:
- “Following numerous warnings, police raided
a restaurant and cautioned 40 customers eating
illegally trapped ambelopoulia”.
As things are, the police have become the ‘bad
guys’ simply by trying to implement the law to
protect birds. Poachers, and the gluttons who
eat the birds, have become the ‘victims’.

23. Scenario B: Utilizing the opportunities offered by the migratory
birds
• Birdwatching was reported as the second fastest developing
hobby in Europe, and the first in the USA.
• In the USA 61 million people, about 21% of the residents
there, are engaged in birdwatching (U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service) and the most recommended European destination
birding is the island of Lesvos (internal research)
• Since birdwatching trips are organized during the Spring &
Autumn migratory periods, which are not peak tourist seasons,
this would increase tourist income.

24. We suggest:
(a) Public statements and messages from the President of
the Republic, his Ministers and the Hunters’ Federation
condemning the illegal trapping and consuming of
ambelopoulia.
(b) CTO consultations with its tourist partners in the private
sector (hoteliers, travel agents). They should do not
remain indifferent to the consequences of the bird
slaughter.
(c) Create a non-governmental platform to develop and
implement best practices that will sensitize mass media,
citizens and private business on migratory birds issues,
culminating in establishing a Cyprus Bird Fair to celebrate
and publicise migratory birds.

25. We’re talking serious money
The theoretical annual revenue from birdwatcher visits at Kuşcenneti
National Park (Ramsar area) in Turkey, was calculated at €76,770,000
(Gurluk,S.,Rehber,E. 2008)
Lake Manias, Turkey
Πηγή: www.flickr.com
Akrotiri Lake, Cyprus
Source: http://el.wikipedia.org/wik

26. Cyprus is privileged with three main poles of
attraction for migratory birds:
Akrotiri (Ramsar site), Larnaca Salt Lake
(Ramsar site), Cavo Greco coast line
Why are we not utilizing this priviledge?
Akrotiri Wetland Larnaca Salt Lake Cavo Greco Famagusta
Photo: Thomas Hadjikyriakou Photo: Lefteris Kalavasos Photo: Alexandros Daskalakis (Αλέξανδρος
∆ασκαλάκης)

27. Ordinary Cypriots should realise what they are
losing financially. They must react against bird
trapping.
According to the law of supply and demand,
once demand has been minimized, trapping
will no longer offer big financial rewards.
Government officials, political parties, the
Cyprus Tourism Organisation, the tourist
industry, the Hunting Federation and the mass
media have a most important role to play.

28. www.tex.unipi.gr
Thank you for listening!!!