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File photo:Darko Vojinovic/AP
Kurdistan Region - A falcon hunted by unidentified poachers outside of Sulaimani city was buried in a special procession on Mount Goizha on Sunday in a move to protest growing dangers posed to the wildlife in the Kurdistan Region.
The falcon was brought to the Kurdistan Nature Organization last week by a family from Sulaimani's Barda Kar neighborhood, but died of the severe shrapnel injuries today, according to the organization's spokesperson.
"We did our best to treat and save the falcon's life, but it died of the critical injuries it had sustained." Marko Nawzad, told Rudaw English, adding it was unclear what date the falcon was shot.
"The burial procession we held was a strong message to condemn anyone hunting these innocent birds that never harm humanity," Nawzad said. "Rather, they are the symbol of the beauty of our wild nature."
The organization is urging the government to take "strictest measures against anyone found to have hunted wild beings."
Nawzad voiced worries that "hunting wild animals and birds has unfortunately become a trend in Sulaimani."
The issue of capturing and hunting animals mainly began in 2014 during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS), which forced park rangers to the front lines to fight the militant group, giving illegal hunters open season.
"This is not the first that we have discovered hunted animals, either killed or wounded," he added. "A few years ago we held a similar burial procession for an owl."
"As an NGO, we have decided to build a little monument at the site of the burial of the falcon to pay homage to our wildlife," he said.
The Sulaimani Forest and Environment Police say tough fines will be levied on any hunters killing or poaching wild animals, including lions and tigers.
The fines range from 100,000 Iraqi dinars (around $85) to 10,000,000 Iraqi dinars (around $8,000), according to regulations by the Protection and Improvement section of the Kurdistan Environment Board. According to the regulations, the hunting of tigers, brown bears, black bears, deer, wild sheep and goats will come with a 10,00,000 dinar fine.
Wild boar hunters will be fined 500,000 dinars (around $415), foxes 300,000 (around $250) dinars and squirrels 100,000 dinars (around $85).
A Kurdish MP told Rudaw English that they are unable to stop hunting, especially from those who wield massive power and influence in the Kurdistan Region.
"We are against all kinds of hunts or any damages being inflicted on the environment," Dr. Sabah Mahmood, head of the Health and Environment Committee in the Kurdistan Parliament, said.
Mahmood added that actions to stop "illegal hunting is beyond our control, because we are a legislative body and have no executive powers."
He added that some influential people "including Peshmerga officials surrounded by five to six guards hunt what they want and no one, even forests police forces, dare to stop them from doing so."
"All we can do is to push the government to take measures against dangers being posed to the wildlife in Kurdistan," the MP added.
Between 2008 and 2010, the KRG introduced environmental protection laws, including some related to hunting, in order to protect the Region's wildlife and nature.
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