EXPERT: ENLARGEMENT OF FINE SIZE INEFFECTIVE TOOL FOR COMBATING POACHING

/ARKA/
May 19, 2010
YEREVAN

Inga Zarafyan, head of Ecolur non-governmental organization, finds
enlargement of fine size ineffective tool for combating poaching.

"It seems that enlarging size of fine for poaching, Armenian Nature
Protection Ministry sells our nature," she said at a news conference
on Tuesday. "I find it wrong to measure everything with money."

Today, the fine for illegal hunting starts from AMD 3 million (about
$7,500), and the fine for hunting in protected territories is five
times greater.

Zarafyan said that the moufflon, the leopard and the bezoar goat,
which are at the verge of extinction, are the most attractive targets
to local and foreign hunters.

She said that according to Armenian Police Department’s figures, only
four illegal hunt cases have been reported since the beginning of 2009.

"But in fact, the number of illegal hunt cases in Armenia is far
greater," she said adding that only three or four leopards remain in
Armenia as a result of poaching.

Armenian resident office of WWF said in April that five to seven
leopards, 2,500 to 3,000 bezoar goats and 250 to 300 Armenian moufflons
remained in the country.
From: Baghdasarian