The Anti-Poaching Unit, in collaboration with the Municipality of Qaraoun and the Homat Al Hima International Center, organized an environmental awareness session at Qaraoun Public High School in West Bekaa. The session brought together 190 students and several teachers, focusing on the importance of preserving biodiversity to safeguard our future, as well as the urgent need to combat illegal and unsustainable hunting practices that negatively affect the food chain and ecological balance.
The session also highlighted the field operations of the Anti-Poaching Unit, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between responsible, environmentally conscious hunters and conservation actors to reduce indiscriminate killing and protect wildlife. Students were introduced to the behaviors of several distinctive bird species and their critical role in maintaining ecological balance.
The event was marked by strong engagement and disciplined participation from students and teachers.
The school principal, Mr. Musab Deeb, stressed the importance of such initiatives, which empower students to become partners in raising awareness and protecting nature.
The session was delivered by:
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Adonis Khateeb, Head of the Middle East Center for Sustainable Hunting (MESHC) and Field Coordinator for Responsible Hunting at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL).
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Shereen Bou Rafoul, Head of the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) and Director of the international CABS Office in Lebanon.
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Maroun Bou Rafoul, Field Investigator with the Anti-Poaching Unit and member of the CABS team in Lebanon.
This initiative is part of the anti–illegal hunting project implemented by the APU, a joint program of the Middle East Center for Sustainable Hunting (MESHC) and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL). The project is supported by the Foundation Hans Wilsdorf, implemented in cooperation with BirdLife International, and carried out in partnership with CABS, in close coordination with the Internal Security Forces, the Information and Investigations Branch, and Army Intelligence.
