An investigation by Killid reveals foreign hunters continue to visit Farah province for the sport despite two presidential decrees banning hunting.
Ahmad Fareed Bakhtawar, a member of the Farah provincial council identifies the hunters as Arabs. He alleges they are invited by Mohammad Asef Nang, governor of Farah province. Local authorities in Farah earn millions of dollars from illegal hunting by foreigners, Bakhtawar claims. However, according to the governor, the foreigners are investing in projects for the breeding of endangered species.
Nang says hunters have invested a total of 160 million USD in Farah province under an organisation called ‘Algharafa’ in the past five years. Nang insisted that the rare birds and animals are being hunted under a special law.
The governor’s spokesperson Mohammad Naser Mehri says Algharafa has invested in establishing a zoo, the construction of a deaddiction clinic, an airport, a mosque, and a farm for date fruits over 30,000 jeribs where animals will roam free and safely.
According to Mehri, the Algharafa have released in the wild 370 birds reared in captivity called Tawq e Daroo that was hunted almost to extinction. Abdul Wali Modaqeq, assistant director of planning and international relations in the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) denied that Algharafa has signed an agreement for the hunting of rare birds with any individual or office. The Tawq e Daroo was pushed on to the list of endangered species because of a popular myth that its gizzard enhances sexual prowess. Baran Osmani, former head of NEPA told Killid, “Arabs hunt the Tawq e Daroo with their hunting birds, hawks and falcons. They keep the gizzard to strengthen their sexual powers and give the rest of the bird to the hawk or falcon.”
Osmani says, “The sheikhs of Qatar have established a farm for rearing endangered birds and animals in Farah province in an area spread over 800 jeribs. One third of the reared birds are taken to Saudi Arabia.”
Manan Mateen, head of agriculture in Farah says that if the Arabs and organisation’s like Algharafa are found to be abusing the agreement, they would be dealt with according to the law.
Lost forever
Barakatullah Bashiri, the head of the Farah chapter of NEPA, is worried about the vanishing wildlife. He mentions the wild ass and leopards in particular that could be found in the Bakwah desert and the province’s Laash Jowin district but have disappeared in recent years. He believes they have been hunted down and smuggled into Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Nesar Ahmad Amini, head of the natural resources in the department of Herat agriculture, says the population of local species of the wolf, pig, fox, hyena, wild cats, leopard, deer, rabbit, hawk, partridge and other wildlife has shrunk. Hunters and smugglers have had a field day in Herat districts like Chesht, Owbe, Keshk Kohna, Ghorian, Zendajan and Shindand.
Head of NEPA in Herat Naseer Ahmad Fazli confirms the situation is dire for wildlife. Domestic livestock has also been hit by smuggling – a phenomenon that is arousing the concern of agriculture officials with the smuggling of sheep, camel and oxen to Iran and Pakistan.
Mehrabudin Ahmadi, head of the livestock department of Herat, says the sale of the animals is often out of desperation because of drought, and a family’s inability to provide for the animals.
Still, this is nothing in comparison to the losses from hunting. Toryalai Taheri, a deputy in the Herat provincial council told Killid the worst offenders are government officials. “Government officials themselves hunt in villages and mountains and the government has not paid any attention.”
