Hunters efforts in Iraq

The Iraqi Hunters Association continues its endeavors aimed at organizing hunting operations in the country and securing the necessary protection for migratory birds and species exposed to the risk of extinction, stressing the need to adhere to official regulations and decisions regulating hunting seasons, along with continuous coordination with relevant sectors to combat illegal hunting and counter the smuggling of wild animals. Ahmed Mezher Shaker, a former board member of the association, explained that the institution undertakes the tasks of raising hunters awareness and urging them to respect applicable legislation and approved standards, as well as supervising the organization of hunting trips and curbing illegal poaching due to the grave dangers it poses to migratory birds and the general ecological balance. He added that hunting seasons and the list of animals permitted to be hunted are governed by approved governmental rules and instructions. He pointed out the significance of adhering to specified dates and avoiding proximity to borders and military zones under control. He noted the diversity of wildlife birds in Iraqi lands between migratory, resident, summer, winter, terrestrial, and aquatic, indicating that the practice of hunting extends among some affiliates to include fishing within the marshlands with the participation of hobbyists from multiple governorates. He stated that the association aspires to elevate its work and improve the level of services provided to professionals and amateurs in partnership with official departments, pointing to the existence of joint plans and projects that include cooperation with the Ministry of Defense to produce hunting cartridges. He reviewed the experiences of hunting bodies in some countries that adopt various competitions and activities and provide specialized companies to offer integrated services including transportation, lodging, and hunting supplies, expressing his hope to benefit from those external experiences to develop organized activities within the country. For his part, the former secretary of the association, engineer Saiel Udaid Al-Faraon, stated that the association is considered one of the self-funding organizations operating under the umbrella of civil society organizations department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and is administratively affiliated with the Ministry of Environment with close coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and other related bodies. He stressed that the institution fully adheres to the instructions governing hunting seasons and species authorized for hunting, and cooperates with environmental police to protect birds and wild animals, especially those threatened with extinction, and actively contributes to curbing smuggling operations outside the borders. Al-Faraon pointed out that organizing hunting trips for visitors coming from Gulf countries requires obtaining necessary official approvals and licenses, and complying with local regulations that separate species permitted to be hunted and those prohibited due to their rarity or danger of extinction, affirming that the association organizes these trips according to followed procedures and under the supervision of competent authorities. He mentioned that previous marsh drainage works cast negative shadows on aquatic birds that once made southern marshes a main station in their migration route coming from the European continent, stressing that the association's most prominent achievements lie in securing official licenses for Iraqi hunters and establishing a headquarters that gathers them and supports communication among them to organize the profession in a way that aligns with environmental preservation requirements and wildlife conservation. He concluded by emphasizing the centrality of continuing coordination between the association and the ministries of environment, agriculture, interior, and other related bodies, to ensure reconciling hunting as a hobby and organized activity with protecting animal wealth, birds, and safeguarding national biodiversity in Iraq.