Bird watching in Fereydoun-Kenar should be promoted instead of capturing or killing them, director general of the training center at the Department of Environment (DoE) Mahmud Darvish said.
He said the DoE’s campaign to stop illegal hunting in the region “will be completely interactional and cultural,” reports ILNA. To stop illegal hunting of the birds, the DoE would promote bird watching, which brings many advantages to local residents, he emphasized.
The number of illegal hunters had increasing considerably resulting in a decrease in the number of migrating birds; therefore the authorities felt the need for a change in approach towards safeguarding them in Fereydoun-Kenar, Darvish said.
He noted that in the past hunting was confined to two areas of Sar-Khorud and Fereydoun-Kenar, whereas it had now extended even to Nour county; a worrisome development, which if the DoE does not address intelligently and decisively, will spread across the three provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan. This would cause irreparable damage, he added.
Revising Methods
The official stressed the necessity of revision in local traditional methods of hunting and “the amount of the hunt.” Any change in the methods “will take place amicably and include measures to help increase the income of the people,” he maintained.
Darvish pointed to the role of NGOs and said with their help, “we are making efforts to introduce bird watching to local residents as a tourist attraction and activity that may bring them more income as well.”
In response to a question that the ban on hunting may lead to illegal activities, he said implementing a strict ban on hunting “without taking into account the expediencies and interests of the locals, will definitely result in an increase in illegal hunting.” To prevent this, with the help of NGOs and by organizing educational and training workshops for the locals, people’s awareness will be raised to bring about change.
