The indiscriminate, widespread and intense killing of vultures, eagles and other birds continues unabated in the Middle East – unfortunately illegal hunting is still rampant there, with a strong impact on the millions of birds that pass through the region in their Spring and Fall migrations.
This Fall was no different – the news from the field indicated another intense barrage of fire waiting everything moving south. It was thus with no surprise – but with sadness –that VCF received recently the news that one black vulture was among the many victims, shot in Lebanon – Hrar, a village located in the Akkar region , in the north of the country.
The species does not breed in the Middle East any longer, and is very rare in the region, no doubt due to the intense direct persecution. Hunting in Lebanon is actually illegal, as the country authorıties pushed for a nation-wide ban, while preparing a revamped hunting legislation, which has been finally approved in December 2012. The hunting ban is still on, until the Lebanese minister of environment declares the opening of the hunting season through an official decree – however, the killing never stopped, with killers emptying their guns everyday close to schools, houses and people – a mockery of the law and of the authority of the Lebanese state.
One death exposed – how many other vultures and eagles have perished this year?
