hare poaching — Two forestry department employees have been implicated in a hare poaching case in Paphos, raising serious concerns about the misuse of their positions. The game service has accused these staff members of exploiting their access to restricted areas, leading to repeated violations of wildlife protection laws.
During a targeted anti-poaching operation in Kouklia and Timi, game wardens placed an area under surveillance. At approximately 4.30am last Sunday, they observed a vehicle behaving suspiciously in agricultural lands, coinciding with the sound of gunshots. When the driver ignored stop signals, wardens initiated a pursuit.
By 4.50am, the vehicle was immobilised, revealing two hunting rifles inside. The three occupants of the vehicle, all residents of Paphos, included the two forestry employees, who have prior convictions for similar offences.
Wardens suspected that the illegally hunted hares had been hidden for later collection, not loaded into the vehicle. An extensive search at first light uncovered two freshly killed hares cleverly concealed among trees in separate locations, along with significant damage to nearby agricultural crops.
The game service expressed alarm over the involvement of forestry department employees in these activities. A representative stated, “Some employees of the forestry department appear to be taking advantage of the fact that they work both at observatories and in areas where access by other services is limited or almost impossible.”
Recent reports from service members indicate a troubling rise in hunting activities within prohibited areas. Some individuals have allegedly been using hunting dogs to drive hares towards legal hunting boundaries, further complicating enforcement efforts.
