Table 1 Summary of ‘trapper categories’, as defined by the key informants of the enforcement agencies and the environmental NGOs, indicating (a) an estimate of the number of people involved, (b) the possible motives, (c) estimates of the equipment they use and (d) the impact they may have
From: Exploring differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of illegal bird trapping in Cyprus
Categories | Number of people trapping | Incentives | Equipment (per person) | Numbers of birds trapped/impact | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Enforcement Agency 1 | 1) Traditional trappers | – | Personal consumption | 20–30 limesticks | The large number of low-scale trapping has a significant impact | |
2) Organised criminals | 40–50 people in total (4–5%) | Profit | Maybe 30 mist nets and 500 limesticks | Highest impact, as catching most amount of birds | ||
Enforcement Agency 2 | 1) Non-professionals | – | Personal consumption | – | – | |
2) Professional trappers | 10–15 people in total (within the SBA) | Profit | – | – | ||
Enforcement Agency 3 | 1) Traditional trappers | A lot more than 2000 people in total | Personal consumption/hobby | Limesticks | Catch a limited number of birds as they do not use lures | |
2) Business-scale | Profit | – | – | |||
Environmental NGO 1 | 1) Small-scale trappers | 60–85% | 500 to 1000 in total | Hobby | < 50 limesticks and/or 1 mist net | c. 2 million birds in total |
2) Medium-scale trappers | 10–30% | Supplementary income | 50–100 limesticks and/or 1–3 mist nets | |||
3) Big trappers (professionals) | 5–10% (10–20 people) | Profit | >100 limesticks and/or 4+ mist nets | |||
Environmental NGO 2 | 1) Small-scale trappers | 50–60% | 1500 to 2000 in total | Personal consumption | 25–50 limesticks or 1 mist net and 1 decoy | c. 2 million birds in total |
2) Medium/semi-professional trappers | 30–40% | Personal consumption/ profit Political rather than cultural incentive | 75–100 limesticks, 2–3 mist nets and 2 decoys | |||
3) Professional trappers | 10–20% | Profit | 200 limesticks, more than 5 mist nets | |||