(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Sanaullah Ataullah |
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has launched a number of forums on preserving biodiversity for environmental sustainability.
The 'Wildlife Forums 2023-2024' comprising three forums on wildlife, plants and marine life will host officials and experts to discuss laws and regulations issued to curb the unlawful activities harming the environment and other important issues.
The forums are expected to put forward recommendations to help meet environmental challenges in the country. The first forum on wildlife under the theme 'Hunting Wild Animals ...A Hobby and Sustainable Protection of the Environment' will be held on September 7, 2023, in conjunction with S'hail - Katara International Hunting and Falcons exhibition.
The first edition of the forum will highlight wild rabbit as one of the living organisms in the Qatari environment, under the slogan“The wild rabbit...our sustainable heritage, letpreserve it.”
The details about the forums were given by officials at a press conference held at MoECC headquarters yesterday.
Addressing the press conference, Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari, engineering advisor and environmental expert in the office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said:“The forum selected wild rabbit for its slogan in line with Qatar's environment and climate change strategy in the second axis, which came under the title of biodiversity.”
Dr. Al Kuwari, who is also Chairman of the Wildlife Forum, said rabbits are found in variplaces in Qatari environment, especially in coastal areas and sand dunes. They are local animals and their numbers are small.
Al Kuwari noted that some studies have shown that wild rabbit is considered an endangered animal, due to over hunting, high temperature, and lack of vegetation and water in deserts.
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“These studies also showed that there is destruction of this animal's habitats, and therefore this forum will foon protecting the rabbit to achieve environmental balance in Qatar,” he added.
He said the forum will host a group of experts and consultants who have extensive experience in the field of hunting and falconry in addition to the environment.
“The forum will also discuss several topics in this field, the most important of which are promoting the hobby of hunting, enhancing the Qatari-Arab heritage, protecting wildlife in Qatar, ethics and principles, and hunting wild animals in Qatar in light of Islamic law,” said Al Kuwari.
He said the forum will shed light on international agreements and treaties related to hunting activities, laws and ministerial decisions regulating hunting, and rules and regulations for sustainable wild animal hunting in Qatar.
“The participants will also talk about security and safety in hunting of wild animals, and efforts by MoECC and other parties concerned to preserve wildlife, and in return, encourage the hunting hobby by preserving the heritage of fathers and grandfathers and their heritage in hunting and falconry,” said Al Kuwari.
Director of the Wildlife Development Department at MoECC Mohammed Al Khanji said the Wildlife Forum comes as part of a series of efforts by MoECC to preserve the local environment and biodiversity in Qatar.
“Wild rabbit is one of the living organisms that the wild environment in Qatar abounds in. This is why we decided to organise the forum to shed light on this creature, which faces many dangers and challenges, which may lead to its extinction, whether through poaching or the elimination of its local environment in which it lives,” said Al Khanji.
He said that the Article 3 of Ministerial Decision No. 24 of 2023, regarding regulating the hunting season for some birds and wild animals, imposed ban on hunting or acquiring a number of local wild animals, birds and reptiles for a period of two years, and one of those animals is wild rabbit, the foof this forum.
“We urge everyone to adhere to the Ministry's laws and instructions issued in this regard, and to comply with the rules and regulations for hunting,” said Al Khanji.
He said that the forums aim to spread the culture of environmental sustainability among members of Qatari society, and to spread awareness among the youth and the new generation about importance of preserving their local environment.
“The forum will witness a number of important discussion sessions, in which government agencies and civil society organisations related to the environment and wildlife sector will participate,” said Al Khanji.