Global News - November 2007
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Gunmen attack rare fruit bat colony in Cyprus
Fri 30 November 2007 12:45 UK — Europe,Other
Gunmen have almost entirely wiped out a colony of protected fruit bats in Cyprus, reportedly using the animals for target practice.
Between 40 and 45 of the endangered animals were shot dead by unidentified marksmen earlier this week, Reuters reported.
The dead bats were found in a remote cave in the western Cypriot district of Paphos, with local officials citing the secluded nature of the colony as proof that the shootings were for fun and not to rid the area of vermin.
Harris Nicolauo, a Conservation Officer with the Cypriot Forestry Department, told the website: "The cave is nowhere close to a residential area so I can only assume people were doing this for kicks."
"This is now a strictly protected species, it is the only fruit bat we have, and the only fruit bat in a European Union member state," he added.
While the fruit bat used to be widespread in the area, extermination programmes in the early 20th century greatly reduced its population, with a maximum of 3,500 of the mammals left in Cyprus, Reuters stated.
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