30 Iranian Hunters Sheath Their Hunting Weapons

A number of hunters from East Azerbaijan province sheathed their hunting weapons at a ceremony marking Environment Week. On Tuesday (June 8), the official website of the East Azerbaijan Environmental Protection Agency reported that 30 hunters at the 'Connection with Wildlife and Disgust for Hunting' event held in Jolfa permanently ceased hunting. According to the report, these hunters have committed to refrain from using weapons to preserve the environment and protect animal species. East Azerbaijan is home to 346 animal species, including 52 mammals, 225 birds, 37 reptiles, six amphibians, and 27 fish. Hamid Qasemi, the director of the East Azerbaijan Environmental Protection Agency, also announced that these hunters will collaborate with environmental guards as environmental partners. Reports indicate that hunting of wild species in the northern and northwestern provinces of Iran has increased in recent years. According to the East Azerbaijan Environmental Protection Agency, over 910 hunters and wildlife offenders were arrested in the first nine months of 1393 (2014). The report adds that during this period, 89 legal hunting weapons and nine illegal hunting weapons were discovered and seized. Statistics on illegal hunting also show that during this time, there were 54 cases of aquatic species capture, 31 cases of bird hunting, and 28 cases of mammal hunting in East Azerbaijan habitats. Illegal hunting is cited as one of the factors contributing to the decline of rare and endangered animal species in Iran. Environmental protection officials and media in Iran regularly report the identification and arrest of illegal hunters. According to officials, an average of 28 cases of illegal hunting and three illegal weapons are recorded daily in the country. According to Farhad Dabiri, the deputy for natural environment and biodiversity at the Environmental Protection Agency, there are currently over two million weapons in the hands of the Iranian public, half of which are 'unlicensed'. Iran has 500 mammal species and 190 bird species, and illegal hunting, along with habitat destruction and ecosystem degradation, has led to population declines, extinction, and their destruction.