Hunting is a social hobby that is embedded in our culture and passed down through generations. Unfortunately, with the hunting ban issued in 1995, a new generation of shooters has evolved that does not respect nature or birds.
Hunters shoot anything that flies over Lebanon, regardless of species, season, time, tools,…..leading to the killing of 2.6 million birds annually, according to the BirdLife regional study done in 2015.
SPNL contributed a lot over the years in developing awareness and educational material and developing the hunting law & its application decrees. Now, we reached the law enforcement stage through the opening of the hunting season in September 2017 for the first time after 22 years. Still, the Ministry of Interior & Ministry of Defense, who are responsible for hunting law enforcement, declared that it is not a priority for them. Based on that, SPNL suggested the following to support law enforcement:
Promote Responsible Hunting Areas (RHAs) in Lebanon, where hunting would be restricted to these areas under the management of municipalities within the hunting law and its application decrees.
Partnership with Committee against Bird Slaughter—CABS / UNEP to identify violations in collaboration with the Internal Security Forces—ISF and follow up with the Ministry of Justice.
Learn How to Use the Interactive Map
To ensure accessibility for a wide audience, SPNL has also released a step-by-step tutorial video demonstrating how to navigate the map and make the most of its features. The video provides an overview of the map’s layered design, how to locate specific conservation zones, and how to identify legal and illegal hunting areas. Whether you are a researcher, conservationist, policymaker, or hunter, this tutorial offers clear guidance on using the tool effectively. You can watch the full tutorial here.
Under the Migratory Soaring Birds project stage I, funded by GEF, SPNL highlighted 12 objective criteria for the identification of RHAs in collaboration with UNDP and Ministry of Environment. Based on that, 8 RHAs has been identified in Lebanon, and endorsed by their municipalities.
Under the Migratory Soaring Birds project stage II, funded by GEF, in collaboration with Balamand University, Institute of the Environment, SPNL developed an online interactive map to highlight all potential RHAs in Lebanon regardless of land tenure. Kindly explore this interesting tool at this link.
