Heba Press
The National Agency for Water and Forests has strengthened the surveillance system against illegal hunting ahead of the opening of the new hunting season, as part of its tireless efforts to tackle this phenomenon.
The agency said in a statement that “in the face of increasing cases of illegal hunting in various regions of the Kingdom, it has strengthened the surveillance system, which reflects its commitment to protecting wildlife and firmly pursuing offenders.”
The same source explained that between September 12 and 22, several serious violations of laws related to hunting and the protection of wildlife were recorded, which shows the extent of the spread of this phenomenon in several regions, noting, in this regard, that in the Youssoufia region of Safi, on September 12, an arrest was made in flagrante delicto during the hunting closure period, where, during the intervention of forestry technicians, a prohibited sniper weapon was confiscated, and a report was written on this subject.
In Taounate (Fez – Meknes), the agency adds, on the 19th of this month, two separate cases were reported, the first in the Mediterranean forest “Urga”, during which water and forestry officers were able to arrest two people in possession of 09 partridges and 07 pigeons. Hunting by illegal means, and the second, during which an unjust sniper using a Saluki dog attacked forest technicians after being caught red-handed in unjust isolated shots, stressing that the dog was confiscated and that research is underway. determine the identity of the offender.
In Zayo (East), on September 21, an illegal hunt was reported in a permanent reserve using prohibited methods, where a pigeon was illegally hunted and the weapon used was confiscated, according to the agency’s report.
In the Igram region, Taroudant (Souss-Massa), on September 22, the source said, an illegal hunting operation was seized and a mountain gazelle, a nationally and internationally protected species, was seized, thanks to the rapid intervention of forestry technicians. noting that two foreigners and a Moroccan citizen were identified. The sniper’s weapon, the car and other illegal means were confiscated.
The National Agency for Water and Forests confirmed that these operations highlight the extent of its vigilance and the intensive efforts deployed to combat illegal hunting before the opening of the hunting season, stressing that these violations represent a real threat to biodiversity and pose a danger to its workers. The best example of this is what happened on September 19, when an unjust sniper tried to infiltrate a deer reserve in Safi and opened fire on one of the guards before fleeing.
In this regard, she indicated that the sanctions imposed against these violations vary according to their seriousness, with fines ranging from 8,000 dirhams to 100,000 dirhams, with the possibility of imposing prison sentences of up to 6 months in the most serious cases, noting that around 300 cases of unjust isolated shootings are recorded each year in various regions of the country.
The agency affirmed its commitment to pursue offenders in cooperation with local authorities, national security and the Royal Gendarmerie, and to take all necessary measures to ensure the enforcement of the law and the protection of the Kingdom’s natural resources, calling on all citizens to actively participate in protecting wildlife and environmental systems by respecting applicable laws, stressing that strict sanctions will be applied to any offender.
