[Jane Turner]

At the urgent request of the AVES Foundation for Protection of the Birds and Environment in Romania, PROACT's have agreed to publicise the campaign to save the Brown Bear population in the Romanian Carpathian mountains from extermination.



AVES is an independent and nongovernmental civil organization. Its main aim is the protection of birds and their habitats in Romania; but its activity also covers other public environmental protection matters. The foundation was established in 1997 but existed illegally and underground since 1972 during the Ceausescu dictatorship.


http://www.proact-campaigns.net/loca...igns/id26.html

[scampo]

You have a way of finding the saddest news, Jane, but there it is. 200+ animals is barely enough to be sustaining. It is sickening the way corruption eats at the soul of people even when the law is clear.

[David]

I was a bit too shy to introduce this campaign in a bird forum myself but hope that Jane's posting will have a positive effect.

Since we started the campaign the good news is that the EU are taking an interest.

The not-so-good news is that Laszlo Szabo, the Romanian initator of the campaign and lifelong birder and environmentalist is being harassed by government officials (mostly the same people who tried to keep him and others under their heel before 1989), his website has been hacked and he has received death threats from hunters.

So the more international and public support he gets the better - he's on the front line out there.

David

[Andrew Rowlands]

Originally Posted by David

SNIP
The not-so-good news is that Laszlo Szabo, the Romanian initator of the campaign and lifelong birder and environmentalist is being harassed by government officials (mostly the same people who tried to keep him and others under their heel before 1989), his website has been hacked and he has received death threats from hunters.

So the more international and public support he gets the better - he's on the front line out there.

David

And, unless you have visited Romania, you won't realise how corrupt certain aspects of it can be.

Yes, the wildlife deserve our support but so do the ordinary people - visit if you can. Put a value on their wildlife. Alive, not dead.

Good luck,

Andy.

[scampo]

"And, unless you have visited Romania, you won't realise how corrupt certain aspects of it can be..."

Not only Romania, sadly - much nearer home. Despite that, I would think that the EU's intervention and the outcry of its peoples will be a help.

[wingsofsilver]

Hello Everyone! First of all, let me begin by saying that I'm a total novice at this! I offer no pretention of grand knowledge of birds, though I believe I can identify all species in my region. I do have a request, however. Recently a flicker showed up in my back yard and I am having trouble describing it to my wife. I'd like to know if anyone has a good photo of this elusive member of the woodpecker family, and would share it with me. W. O. Silver