Green Balkans' representatives participated in a working meeting organized on the occasion of the protected birds recently shot by poachers – a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and an Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). Within a week, the two eagles were found shot near the village of Raikova Mogila (Svilengrad region).
In order to prevent such terrible cases, RIEW - Haskovo initiated a meeting with representatives of the local hunters and anglers’ union, experts from the State Forestry Department - Svilengrad, forest rangers from RFD Kardzhali, and other state institutions. The environmental NGOs were represented by members of Green Balkans and BSPB. The event was held on February 6th, 2014 in the building of the State Forestry Department - Svilengrad.
Other similar cases of shot rare and protected birds sent from various parts of the country and received at Green Balkans’ Wildlife Rescue Center were also presented during the meeting. In their capacity of a supervisory body for the enforcement of the Biodiversity Act and the conservation of rare and protected species, the representatives of RIEW - Haskovo presented the penalties envisaged in the law in case of encroachment upon protected species. The Bulgarian legislation provides for extremely harsh penalties and fines, as well as suspension of the hunting permit and even imprisonment of the perpetrators.
The participants in the event deprecated firmly this encroachment upon the rare eagle species, and the local hunters declared explicitly that they were not involved in any kind of poaching. The participants agreed on the need for further information and education initiatives among hunters and local people in terms of benefits from the conservation of protected species. In this regard, Green Balkans delivered a short presentation on “Lesser Kestrel Recovery” LIFE11 NAT/BG/360 project, which is implemented by the organization in the region of Sakar with the financial support of the LIFE program of the European Union.
Green Balkans’ team expresses their gratitude to RIEW - Haskovo for their timely response and the organization of the meeting, as well as to the State Forestry Department – Svilengrad for kindly hosting the event, and, of course, to all local hunters who attended and participated in the discussion.
In order to prevent such terrible cases, RIEW - Haskovo initiated a meeting with representatives of the local hunters and anglers’ union, experts from the State Forestry Department - Svilengrad, forest rangers from RFD Kardzhali, and other state institutions. The environmental NGOs were represented by members of Green Balkans and BSPB. The event was held on February 6th, 2014 in the building of the State Forestry Department - Svilengrad.
Other similar cases of shot rare and protected birds sent from various parts of the country and received at Green Balkans’ Wildlife Rescue Center were also presented during the meeting. In their capacity of a supervisory body for the enforcement of the Biodiversity Act and the conservation of rare and protected species, the representatives of RIEW - Haskovo presented the penalties envisaged in the law in case of encroachment upon protected species. The Bulgarian legislation provides for extremely harsh penalties and fines, as well as suspension of the hunting permit and even imprisonment of the perpetrators.
The participants in the event deprecated firmly this encroachment upon the rare eagle species, and the local hunters declared explicitly that they were not involved in any kind of poaching. The participants agreed on the need for further information and education initiatives among hunters and local people in terms of benefits from the conservation of protected species. In this regard, Green Balkans delivered a short presentation on “Lesser Kestrel Recovery” LIFE11 NAT/BG/360 project, which is implemented by the organization in the region of Sakar with the financial support of the LIFE program of the European Union.
Green Balkans’ team expresses their gratitude to RIEW - Haskovo for their timely response and the organization of the meeting, as well as to the State Forestry Department – Svilengrad for kindly hosting the event, and, of course, to all local hunters who attended and participated in the discussion.
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