The Guardia Civil stops an illegal bird trade network in Malaga offering captured birds for sale on the internet. Eighteen people arrested under suspicion of trading protected species.
The police investigation into this illegal bird trade started when they found several sales ads on the internet offering finches and insectivores for sale. The investigation found no license issued for this trade. The birds offered on the internet belong to the animal species protected against hunting in Spain.
Trapping birds with folding nets
At various locations in the province of Malaga, the Guardia Civil found feeders as a lure for the animals. The birds that came to this food got stuck with an invisible folding net. The poachers also used electric folding nets. Seprona, the Guardia Civil Nature Protection Service, caught ten poachers red-handed with animals still alive. One of those arrested was in possession of 49 dead animals.
Released back into the natural habitiat were a total of 303 birds, including goldfinches, green finches, wild canaries and goldfinches, none of these birds should be hunted. The Guardia Civil stated “The poaching of these birds causes serious damage to the environment, as they are a fundamental part of our ecosystems, and these practices are expressly prohibited.”
