Activists have taken action to save bears from a tender initiated by the state for the hunting of bears in four Turkish provinces.
Ministry of Forestry and Waterworks has enumerated bears after rising bear attacks last year in Artvin, Kastamonu, Sinop and Giresun.
The ministry has spotted 15 bears following the count left out from the quota. A tender was initiated for the hunting of 15 bears and 50,000 liras have been paid for five bears.
Prior to the hunting season in October, lawyer Senih Özay, journalist Fevzi Hepşenkal and businessman Mehmet Soyer filed a complaint to suspend the executions and cancel the tender.
“We shouldn’t say ‘Let’s not grapple with animals;’ we should fight for their lives. The animal rights association should raise its voice against this act of commerce,” urged the animal protectors of İzmir.
The forestry ministry issues licenses for the hunting of wild animals several times a year, purportedly because of the rise in attacks by wild animal. But, this often draws negative reactions from animal rights advocates.
In April this year, the ministry issued licenses for hunting not only bears, but also wild goats, deer and gazelles, in 21 provinces.
The Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks also licensed the hunting of 15 bears, 109 wild goats, four mountain goats and other animals in several provinces across Turkey in late April.
The licenses issued under the name “hunting tourism” will lead to the deaths of many animals living in Turkey’s rural areas.
