Unregulated hunting threatens Iraqi bird populations
While Iraq has long enjoyed a rich heritage of hunting, modern techniques and a lack of regulation are severely diminishing certain native species and harming the environment.
Faleh al-Sultani, a teacher, travels to the prairies in the south of Babil province — south of Baghdad — to go hunting and shoots all the birds he encounters, particularly francolins, mallards and swans. He cares little about the number and species of the catch, as long as he gets to feel the euphoria of a successful hunt.
Sultani, who seems to lack environmental awareness, told Al-Monitor, “As the number of prey increases, my mind is at ease and I am able to aim more accurately. I often hand out what I catch to my friends and neighbors, as it exceeds my needs.”
Sultani is one of many people who roam the deserted and mountainous areas and prairies of Iraq, caring little about the ways in which they kill wildlife and not limiting themselves to a certain number or type of birds and animals.
Thus, Sultani condemns the calls to regulate hunting and enforce nature-protection laws. He said with confidence, “Birds and [other] animal species have never gone extinct in Iraq, as they have been able to breed and multiply as hunting has increased.”
