Illegal Hunting in Armenia’s Protected Areas Reduced: Aram Aghasyan

Head of the Specially Protected Areas Division at the RA Ministry of Nature Protection Aram Aghasyan, at a press conference today, said that, compared to last year, there have been less incidents of illegal hunting in protected areas.

That, according to Aghasyan, is the result of improved control, adding that if a few years ago those supervising protected areas were paid a monthly salary of 10–15,000 AMD (about $25–37.50 USD), well now they get paid 50–60,000 AMD (about $125–150 USD).

“Today, there’s a false opinion that certain things are taking place in prohibited areas, that poaching exists. Let’s refrain from disinformation,” said Aghasyan, adding that he supports hunting which is legal.

World Wildlife Fund Armenia Director Karen Manvelyan, in turn, said his organization today is no longer concerned with the hunting ads placed on various sites, since there is a very active struggle against poaching in protected areas.

“Today we view that with mockery. Let them come, get caught and pay fines,” he said. According to Manvelyan, making a case against those sites is quite difficult.

Both Manvelyan and Aghasyan noted that currently the amount of fines for hunting protected animals are being reviewed. Today, if sheep and bezoar goat in one area are hunted, the fine is set at 3 million AMD, and if hunting in a protected area, five times that amount is collected.