Following recent criticisms and complaints on social media and in cyberspace regarding the hunting permits issued by the Department of Environment, the organization elaborated on the matter in a statement.
Highlighting the necessity of protecting the environment and wildlife as valuable national treasures, Ali Teymouri, deputy for natural environment and biodiversity at DOE, assured all who are concerned that the department will do its best to prevent any factor threatening the nature in the country.
In a statement, the DOE's public relations department said, "Hunting is a professional field underpinned with science, and the Constitution has explicitly tasked the DOE to make decisions about the type, quantity, place and process of issuing hunting permits."
The authority asserted that the final decision on licenses has been made after taking into account all the criteria, including the natural reproduction rate, breeding season, the balance in distribution, the balance in sex and age of the animals, fertility and the total population in different habitats among others.
"The DOE has issued a limited number of licenses, only for wild goat and ovis orientalis, after scrutiny over all the relevant factors; besides, all hunting practices will happen under close monitoring of DOE's provincial offices."
Critical Views
Certain environmentalists had voiced opposition to the scheme on the basis that the licenses were issued in the breeding season.
DOE explained in the statement that reproduction season is not the same period for different species. "Officials have definitely considered the type of species in each habitat before issuing hunting permit."
The authority had also faced criticism following a recent case of hunting in a no-hunting area in Yazd Province. In response, Teymouri emphasized that the case and any other violation will be urgently pursued, but "a violation cannot be blamed on issuing hunting permits anyway."
How It Started
Earlier in February, an agreement was signed between Hunting and Fishing Office at DOE and Iran's National Environment Fund on issuing hunting licenses for a handful of species in six provinces.
After five consecutive years of prohibition on quadruped hunting all over the country (2013 to 2017), and the dwindling capacity of natural habitats thanks to the growing drought, the environment officials decided to temporarily lift the ban.
Reportedly, the decision was made after studying the results of the census carried out on the population of wild species in natural habitats. Ali Teymouri announced that foreign hunters can get the license for 500 to 700 million rials ($12,000 to $17,000).
"The price has been defined by INEF and is different for Iranian applicants," he noted.
Reportedly, the price for Iranians does not exceed 9 million rials ($215). The money is deposited to the INEF.
Wise Approach
"DOE has so far granted eight licenses to foreign applicants and 20 more to Iranian hunters," the official said, adding that it has set a limit of 105 games in total.
Pointing to the fact that the proceeds will help the restoration of wildlife habitats and eventually protection of threatened species, Teymouri said this could be "a wise way of using the environment."
Officials also stress that hunting permits are awarded after environmental experts define the hunting season in every region, so no criticism is valid over the issue.
