Samvel Avagyan, News.am
Everything started in 2004, when, according to the government decision, the Italian Company International Safaris Corp. was given a territory of 2,985 ha from Eghegis Gorge in Vayots Dzor, as well as several land areas of Geghi and Darmanadzor Communities in Syunik Regions gratis and with right of permanent use. International Safaris Corp. was issued a permit to hold non-professional hunting, including for scientific and research purposes, for the moufflon over 8 years (up to 5 animals), the bezoar goat (up to 5 animals) and the brown bear (up to 2 animals). The President of International Safaris Corp. Sergio Dimitrevich tells as in 2005 he opened new huge perspectives for hunting in Armenia. What about the hunt permit, Sergio Dimitrevich said he legally obtained it for scientific and research purposes. Thus Sergio Dimitrevich left a piece of written evidence that he uses the animals registered in the Red Book in hunt business.
The company’s hunt agent in Armenia is American Bob Kern who tells the fourth hunting territory has recently been opened in Armenia, this time it borders with Iran where you can fid good trophies. Main hunt species are themoufflon, bezoar goat and the Caucasian brown bear, but you can also hunt for the chamois, hyena and Asian cats.
Nevertheless, it should be noted Armenia cannot issue a permit for export of killed bear, as Armenia has joined CITES, but export of other animals is not a problem. Moreover, Bob Kern is running negotiations with the Government of Armenia to obtain a permit for bear export.
According to Hermine Poghosyan, the Expert of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and nature Protection of the National Assembly of RA, the law adopted on 2 February 2010 finally bans hunt for animals registered in the Red Book. “The previous law had a paragraph that permitted to hunt for animals registered in the Red Book on the basis of individual permits, but this point has been removed,” Hermine Poghosyan said.
September 02, 2010