The Center for the Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP) filed a criminal complaint for poaching, in which a spotted owl was wounded in the "Rijeka Zeta" Nature Park.
That it was poaching, as they announced yesterday, was confirmed after the veterinarians determined the existence of whales on the X-ray, and the exhaustion of the individual through examination.
"The problem of poaching in Montenegro has been meaningless and relativized for years now, which clearly shows us the arrogance of poachers who more and more often go beyond the boundaries of the hunting grounds. It is not new that the killing of endangered and protected species takes place even in protected areas, and this time, in the "Rijeka Zeta" Nature Park, the victim of this arrogance is a species from the duck family that is protected at the national and international level," said the NGO.
A citizen informed CZIP about the injured bird.
"The bird is currently recovering, where efforts are being made to return it to its natural habitat as soon as possible, where it belongs," said the NGO, adding that there is lead in the balls, which can cause systemic poisoning due to the decomposition of that heavy metal. in the organism of the animal.
As they said, the colorful duck (Tadorna tadorna) is a species from the duck family (Anatidae), and it is extremely rare in Montenegro.
"It nests only at the Ulcinj salt pan, where in previous years we worked on improving the nesting conditions by installing appropriate cavities. It is not on the list of hunted species, and if we take into account the fact that it was found in a protected area, where hunting is certainly prohibited, it is clear that we are talking about a criminal offense on several grounds", said the CZIP, adding that according to the report they submitted, and compared to previous experiences, they do not expect a reaction from the state.
As they said, their pleas and initiatives to form a working group that would deal with poaching and the introduction of a moratorium on hunting have been ignored for years.
"Additionally, for three years now, the National Action Plan for the fight against poaching, which the CZIP 'served' to the competent institutions, has not been adopted. So far, we have had reactions from the authorities only in exceptional cases when protected species have died due to poaching, such as bears in Berane and deer on Biogradska Gora. This time, we hope that the colorful utva and its return to nature will be an inspiration and a driver of positive changes", said the NGO.
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