Spring hunting is extremely damaging to wild birds as they are flying back to nest and provide the next generation of birds. If we don’t allow these migratory birds to breed during this sensitive time, their populations stand no chance of recovery.
The Indiscriminate Killing of any type of Migratory or Resident Birds,.at any time of the year (and surely increasing at the Migratory Season), ..the shooting that is happening at any Location (not just in the Bekaa Valley, or High lands),..between Olive groves, Fruit gardens, agriculture fields, between houses in villages, the use of hunting guns by people as young as 7 years old,….this is not just killing beneficial birds that help control the ecological balance (the birds help in harmful insects reduction and therefore directly contribute to a healthy agriculture and to the farmers reducing the use of chemical fertilizers) but also spreading all “heavy metals” / “toxic chemicals” from the bullets shot in the air, powder falling on the soil, on the fruits, olives, vegetables, infiltrating the soil and polluting the ever rare fresh water…
This is simply a Suicidal activity..not just for the country Lebanon but also to the Region and the whole Planet since we are all Connected on our Home, Planet Earth.
Unfortunately, hunting in Lebanon is still not regulated and a lot of hunters just go out and hunt for the fun of it. They shoot at anything that flies and don’t even bother retrieve the downed birds or pick up the empty bullets. A couple of hunters were arrested this year due to illegal hunting but more needs to be done to stop the carnage. There’s already an ongoing campaign and a online petition being signed and we can do more by preventing family members and friends from hunting during spring.
I truly hope that avid and ethical hunters will refrain from hunting during spring and practice their hobbies in other seasons. A lot of species are declining due to climate change, habitat loss and and spring hunting will only make things worse.
