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The forestry department is selling moufflon to boost the state's coffers

THE Forestry Department is looking at increasing the sale of moufflon, deer, wood for burning and seeds for various plants in an effort to boost state coffers.
The department has released a new catalogue with prices lists for such things as Christmas trees, charges for renting camping-site spaces or even staying in local hotels, and of course, the Cyprus moufflon.
“The moufflon has been on sale for years now,” said Senior Forest Conservator for the Forestry Department, Andreas Christou. “To clarify though, the moufflon is not for sale to any members of the public, it must be an organisation looking to buy,” he added.
According to Christou the decision to put the moufflon up for sale came after they increased in number over recent years, resulting in their own endangerment.
Moufflon cost €1,200 each, not including VAT but will only be available for export as the department wants to avoid the goat-like animals being taken to zoos or farms and reproducing and multiplying without checks.
Any offers made to purchase the animal will be looked at seriously by the department with a full investigation into the parties that make the offer, the method of export and their destination.
Also up for sale are 30 Dama dama, fallow deer, which were brought over in the 1970s from Germany. There are many Dama dama in Europe and they are mainly bred for hunting and meat production. Their population in Cyprus has grown dramatically but their vast numbers threaten their own survival as well as endangering the environment as there is not enough food to go around. The deer can be purchased for €400 each, which includes the five per cent VAT charge and do not necessarily need to be exported.
Prices for rooms at guesthouses have been reasonably set by the Forestry Department with a house in the village of Stavros tis Psokas charging €14 for adults per night. Charges for children between 6 and 12 are set at €7 a night while younger kids can stay free of charge. The guesthouse in the Forestry College will be slightly higher with adults being charged €18 a night. During the winter period heating will be necessary and that comes at an extra charge of €7 a night.
Charges for the use of Kampi tou Kalogyrou, Stavros tis Psokas and Platania campsites are €5 a day to park a mobile home but between €200 and €250 during the summer months. Setting up a tent costs €3 a day normally but between June and September it will cost €120 for the whole summer period, while a sleeping-bag will cost €2 a day and €75 for the whole summer.
The catalogue has been updated and improved upon to ease accessibility. A copy of the catalogue can be found on the ministry of agriculture’s website.