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Armenia: Illegal hunting in Nature Reserve exposed on YouTube
Posted Tue, 02/24/2009 - 14:56 by Anonymous


Illustrating how online activism could make a difference in Armenia, a YouTube video of a chief forester hunting wild boar at the Khosrov nature reserve has resulted in his dismissal.

On February 6, 2009, YouTube user TugUrartu posted the video with the following description:

On January 20, we went to Khosrov's preserve on a trip. On our way back we saw how a forest guard is killing animals, saying ‘it's a stupid animal, it destroys forests' oaks.’ He ignored our pleas …


The short video shows the forester firing fourteen shots at the running boar. The female cameraman even offers money to the forester to no avail. A day after the video was uploaded, a moderator of an Armenian environmental group on Facebook sent the following message to members:

The head of foresters KILLS WILD ANIMALS
… to protect the Khosrov reserved forest

“it's a stupid animal damaging the trees” says the head of foresters

Reserved Forest? Sl[a]ughter house? Place for having Fun?….

What is KHOSROV RESERVED FOREST NOW?

Who are the real protectors of it? In whose hands is it? How many animals still exist in the place called RESERVED FOREST”?

[…]
Lets protect our rights to live in HARMONY with NATURE~~”

The message, which was also posted on a few blogs, asked supporters to contact Armenia’s Ministry of Nature Protection and provided the relevant phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

The following day the environmentalist blog Bnamard [AM] wondered if the incident wasn't part of a powerful politician's development project as it detailed in another entry.

Հայկական մամուլը ժամանակին գրեց, որ Հայաստանի մի բարձրաստիճան պաշտոնյա Խոսրովի անտառում ռեստորանա-հյուրանոցային համալիր է կառուցում, ոչնչացնելով անտառի մի մասը: Թերեւս, անտառապետը հրահանգ է ստացել անտառին զուգահեռ ոչնչացնել նաեւ այնտեղ բնակվող հատուկենտ “ախմախ կենդանիներին”:

Armenia’s media reported some time ago that a high-profile official in Armenia is building a restaurant-hotel complex in the Khosrov reserve by annihilating some part of the forest. Perhaps the forest chief has been ordered to annihilate particular “stupid animals” next to the forest.

[…]

Bnamard later reported that the forester was punished.

Տուգանք մեկ միլիոն դրամ, աշխատանքից հեռացում..

[…]

Արգելոցի գլխավոր պետին և տեղակալին խիստ նախազգուշացում
[…]

ի դեպ սա բնապահպանության նախարարության թեժ գիծն է…51 91 82…, բայց չմոռանաք հայտնել ևս մի քանի լրատվամիջոցների[….]

Penalty of one million [Armenian] dram [USD 3,300]; firing […] Strict warning to the chief [of the preserve] and his deputy.

[…]

By the way, the Nature Protection [reporting] hotline is 51-91-82, but don’t forget to also inform a few media outlets…

Indeed, without the video evidence, it is unlikely that justice would have been served at all.




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