Palestine Economy Portal

The environmental police arrested huntsmen with hunting rifles in cooperation with Environmental Quality Authority (EQA) in Qalqiliya. These huntsmen hunted seven wild partridge birds in the town of Immatain, east of Qalqiliya.

The EQA pointed in a press statement, on Wednesday, that a report reached the EQA in Qalqiliya regarding the sound of gunshots in the air. The police went to the area, legal procedures were taken regarding the huntsmen and they were transferred to the prosecution. The rifles in their possession were confiscated.

The EQA assured that based on other environmental legislation and article 41 of the Environment Law No. 7 of 1999 prohibits hunting, killing, catching, transporting, roaming, selling or offering for sale (dead or alive) and it is forbidden to destroy their graves or to execute their eggs.

The EQA called on citizens to prohibit the hunting or killing of wild animals or to trade in the sale and purchase of wild birds. The citizens should also report any of these cases and contact the EQA or the Environment police to take appropriate legal action, in order to preserve the biodiversity of Palestine.

The EQA added that the “Partridge” bird is one of the 3 main wild birds in Palestine. It’s a medium size bird with an approximate height of 33 cm. It’s a non-immigrant resident, and it belongs to the rank of chickens. It lives on the ground; its color is a clear gray and black from the top, with white sides that are stripped in chestnut colored lines, along with a white face which is surrounded by a black necklace, with a gray bow and a thin white eyebrow. This bird is very cautious and moves carefully when at risk. It’s known for its distinctive voice which is similar to the sound of chicken humming and birds singing. It lays eggs in May, and they hatch in early June.  

It is said that the Environment police in Hebron district arrested 4 individuals who cut down a pine tree in “Wadi al-Qaf” reserve and set it on fire inside the reserve. The legal procedures have been taken and they were transferred to the public prosecution and detained for 15 days, the tools found with them were confiscated.