New fines established for hunting endangered species

ISTANBUL

The country’s nature conservation body has announced the fines for hunting endangered species, which are off-limits for the 2024-2025 season.

The list of protected wild creatures prepared by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks’ Central Hunting Commission features mammals, reptiles and birds.

The Anatolian leopard, once thought to be extinct until it was captured on camera in 2020, has the highest fine on the list, set at 30 million Turkish Liras.

The fine for hunting the Turkish Mouflon (Ovis gmelini anatolica) is set at 6 million liras, while those who hunt striped hyenas will face an administrative fine of 2.5 million liras.

The fine for hunting caracals and lynxes has been set at 600,000 liras, while the compensation amount for the wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is set at 650,000 liras.

The fine for hunting fallow deer is set at 500,000 liras, for red deer (Cervus elaphus) at 400,000 liras and for Caucasian wildcats at 200,000 liras, according to the new regulation.

For all other protected animal species on the list, including the endangered Anatolian leopard, which is under the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry’s protection, offenders face prison terms ranging from two to five years, in addition to the specified administrative fines.