Tender allowing wild mountain goat hunting canceled after reactions
TUNCELİ
A tender issued by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry that would have allowed the hunting of endangered wild mountain goats in the eastern province of Tunceli has been canceled after it drew massive anger from NGOs and animal rights activists.
The ministry had announced that a tender would be held on July 13 to hunt 17 wild mountain goats in the different regions of Tunceli, where many creatures and plant species live amid its fascinating nature.
However, the project drew negative reactions on social media and was criticized by many NGOs, especially the Tunceli Municipality and associations operating in the province.
The Directorate General of Nature Conservation and National Parks published a statement upon the increasing of reactions and announced that the tender was canceled.
“Some of the elderly male individuals in the wild goat population are allowed to be hunted,” it said in the statement.
In February, a U.S. couple had hunted and killed a mountain goat in the eastern province of Adıyaman after being given permission by the directorate.
Although the couple legally hunted the animal, they drew immense anger from public.
Those who hunt mountain goats without permission face a penalty of approximately 26,000 Turkish Liras ($4200).
Some 60 percent of the revenue obtained from hunting tenders were used in villages where the hunting area is located, according to officials.
