Tehran’s Birds Garden has received an ultimatum to cooperate with the Department of Environment and comply with laws pertaining to the management and handling of birds, a DOE official said on Tuesday.
Speaking to Mehr News Agency, Ali Teymouri, director of Hunting and Fishing Office at DOE, said the garden has not been issued a permit to buy, sell and handle birds, adding that it should first microchip all birds in the garden.
The official said identifying illegally procured birds is on the agenda and will be carried out in cooperation with provincial DOE officials.
“The Birds Garden has been operating outside the DOE’s framework and has failed to comply with the regulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” he said.
After extensive meetings with officials of Tehran Municipality’s District 4, it was decided to give the garden three weeks to get its affairs in order and comply with environmental laws.
“Failure to comply will leave us with no choice but to take legal action,” he said.
Teymouri noted that if violations persist, the DOE will be forced to seize the birds and close the place.
