By Adonis Khatib, head of the Middle East Center for Sustainable Flight for Survival Hunting (MESHC) and field coordinator for responsible hunting at SPNL
A Cryptic Message Leads to a High-Stakes Rescue
Wednesday, 9:00 AM. A WhatsApp message arrives on the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) hotline (81329199):
“Hello.”
The automated response is triggered:
“Welcome to the APU hotline. Please report your violation, and we will follow up with you.”
The sender replies cautiously:
“I have a violation to report, but I don’t want anyone to know who I am.”
An APU operations member responds:
“Our protocol ensures the anonymity of whistleblowers, but we need accurate and truthful reports—no false accusations.”
The sender hesitates before sending a video clip:
“I received this video. You decide whether it’s a violation.”
The video reveals a large cage holding two storks, surrounded by chickens. A username is visible on the screen, tagged with an “@”.
APU Chief Sherine Bou Raffoul forwards the video to the cyber-tracking team, requesting an investigation into the source and location.
As the operations team analyzes the footage, they notice something shocking:
📌 In the final few seconds, a brief glimpse of an Egyptian vulture’s head appears behind the storks.
Tracking the Clues
The APU field director contacts the anonymous informant, pressing for details about the Egyptian vulture and the cage’s location.
“Your report is crucial—not just because of the storks, but because you might have found a critically endangered vulture.”
But the informant refuses to disclose further information.
Undeterred, the operations and cyber-tracking teams continue gathering intelligence. They trace the video to a poultry farm in northern Lebanon.
When the field director reaches out again, the informant finally reveals a crucial detail:
- The farm owner in the north sold the birds to a buyer in the Bekaa Valley.
- This buyer is known to keep injured wild birds and sell them.
The Bekaa Valley: A Dead End or a New Lead?
The next morning, the APU team mobilizes toward Bekaa in three vehicles:
- A stationary surveillance car for remote filming.
- An intervention vehicle to accompany security forces during a potential raid.
- A mobile surveillance car for real-time monitoring.
APU informs:
- Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) Public Relations Division.
- The assigned officer from the Intelligence Division (with whom APU coordinates high-risk missions).
- The local police station, which confirms readiness to assist if needed.
Upon arrival, the team identifies the farm’s exact location and the owner’s name within 30 minutes.
🔍 Surveillance begins. The team watches for over an hour, but the high concrete walls prevent visibility inside the premises.
Going Undercover
The field operations director decides to enter the farm undercover, posing as a buyer interested in wild birds.
Inside, the owner admits to keeping injured birds, but insists that the Egyptian vulture is not in his possession.
📌 However, he provides a key lead:
- The cage in the video is located in a village in Dinnieh, northern Lebanon.
- He had planned to buy the Egyptian vulture, but the seller backed out.
Armed with a new location, the APU team moves north, alerting local law enforcement and sustainable hunters in the region.
The Dinnieh Breakthrough: A Quiet but Decisive Rescue
APU’s local hunting partners in the north identify the cage’s location and owner.
🔍 Intelligence gathered reveals that the owner is a small-scale farmer, not a known trafficker.
💡 A bold suggestion is made:
- Instead of an aggressive intervention with security forces, the APU team approaches the owner directly.
- The owner’s father serves in the military, and local hunters believe he will voluntarily hand over the birds.
The APU leadership agrees, but caution remains key.
📌 ISF’s Intelligence Division and local police are alerted in case of escalation.
Face-to-Face with the Captive Vultures
The APU team arrives at the farm, with a second vehicle stationed nearby for surveillance and documentation.
The field director enters as a potential buyer, engaging the farmer in conversation.
As they walk toward the cage, a shocking discovery is made:
📌 There are not one but two Egyptian vultures inside.
The farmer explains:
- He purchased them six months ago.
- Both suffered old injuries and cannot fly.
- He intended to sell them.
The Turning Point
At this moment, the APU field director reveals his identity:
📌 “These vultures are critically endangered. You must hand them over for rehabilitation.”
The farmer does not resist:
- “I have no problem giving them up.”
The field director emphasizes:
📌 “Local hunters told us you were a respectful man, which saved you from legal charges. Keeping endangered birds is illegal.”
An Unexpected Gesture
📌 The farmer’s father intervenes, offering hospitality and a meal.
📌 The APU team politely declines, explaining that their mission must continue.
The Aftermath: Rehabilitation & Future Conservation
📌 APU Director Sherine Bou Raffoul and the operations team officially take custody of the two Egyptian vultures.
📌 APU’s veterinary specialist, Dr. Didier Zaane, evaluates the storks:
- Their injuries are too severe for release.
- Since they receive proper care and food at the farm, they remain in place.
📌 The two Egyptian vultures are transported to the SPNL Rehabilitation Center in Keyfoun.
📌 After medical treatment, the birds are sent to Bulgaria for further care.
- Due to permanent injuries, they cannot be reintroduced into the wild.
- They are enrolled in a breeding program to ensure their species’ survival.
A Tribute to Leadership in Conservation
📌 One of the rescued vultures is named “Joseph” in honor of General Joseph Mousallem, head of the ISF Public Relations Division, for his tireless support of conservation efforts.
The Anti-Poaching Unit (APU): Protecting Lebanon’s Wildlife
The APU is a joint initiative of:
✔️ The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)
✔️ The Middle East Sustainable Hunting Center (MESHC)
✔️ The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)
📌 APU operations are carried out in partnership with international organizations and in coordination with:
- The Ministry of Environment
- The Internal Security Forces (ISF)
- The Lebanese Army
Final Thoughts: A Victory for Lebanon’s Wildlife
🔹 Two critically endangered Egyptian vultures saved.
🔹 A network of hunters, conservationists, and law enforcement working together.
🔹 Proof that collaboration can combat illegal wildlife trafficking.
This mission was more than just a rescue—it was a testament to what’s possible when awareness, action, and teamwork come together.
The fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade continues. But thanks to the APU, Lebanon’s skies remain a little safer for the birds that call them home.
We hope you enjoy reading the Magazine
Al-Hima-Magazine-Issue-No.-4
