Following on from our Balkan Vulture Anti-Poisoning Workshop we, along with the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía). Financed by the MAVA Foundation and supported by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía) have organised a practical training course. Over two days in May we will welcome colleagues from six Balkan countries to Spain to take part in a course to share practice and develop expertise in the fight against wildlife crime, particularly illegal wildlife poisoning.
Wildlife Crime and Investigation – Techniques and Procedures
On Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 May, a delegation from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia will be in Madrid, Spain for the Wildlife Crime and Investigation – Techniques and Procedures course. The programme will cover all fundamental aspects of wildlife crime investigation from the perspective of planning, police and forensic technique. The participants will get a theoretical overview of the successful approaches taken by colleagues across Spain and hear first-hand experiences having the opportunity to gain practical knowledge of investigating wildlife crime to allow them to develop the necessary investigation approaches in their home countries. The course will make special reference to the need for international cooperation, as an essential tool to combat crimes against biodiversity.
The training course methodology is based on the combination of theoretical conceptual modules, with practical workshops and evaluation sessions through field practices in real situations.
Training course objectives
- Contribute to the technical and specific qualification of civil servants and professionals from the Balkan Peninsula in the field of wildlife crime (shooting, poaching, trafficking and poisoning).
- Specialize professionals from the different sectors involved (public administrations and NGOs), in the areas of awareness, forensic technique, police investigation, organized crime and strategic planning related to this specific type of crime.
- Reinforcement of capacities in anti-poisoning work
- Networking and sharing best practices to mitigate poisoning at Pan-Balkan level
Balkan Anti-Poiosoning Project
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project is a cross-border initiative bringing together wildlife conservation organisations, governmental agencies and other stakeholder such as; hunting associations, farmers and scientists, in six Balkan countries to tackle illegal wildlife poisoning.
Funded by the Mava Foundation we aim to secure real and continued engagement of the relevant national governmental authorities in the Balkan region against illegal wildlife poisoning and increase their capacity to counteract it and working together to take positive steps to protect vultures.
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project is a partnership between us here at the Vulture Conservation Foundation and the Albanian Ornithological Society-AOS, Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania-PPNEA, Ornithological Society “Naše ptice”,Association BIOM, Hellenic Ornithological Society-HOS, Macedonian Ecological Society-MES.
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project also contributes directly into the implementation of the Vulture Multi-Species Action Plan by carrying out anti-poisoning actions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia, and is building on our work for the last decade in the Balkans thorugh the Balkan Vulture Action Plan
Training course agenda 
BAPP training course Madrid_programme.pd Adobe Acrobat Document 1.1 MB Download
