Brown Bear Shot and Killed in Kukes

TIRANA, November 14

Some readers may find the image below disturbing

The Albanian National Hunting Federation and numerous wildlife protection organizations denounced on Thursday the poaching of a brown bear in Kukes while a hunting ban is in effect. The Ursus Arctos species is in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and it’s protected by law.

This means that any action against individuals that belong to this species or other animals is considered a criminal offense. On the other hand, authorities have to make sure that the law they pledge to serve is enforced. In numerous cases, poachers and people that use wild animals for profit, especially bears, have gotten away with the law.

Poached wildlife, animal cruelty and caged bears in fancy restaurants are not what Albanian citizens and international tourists want to see. They want to observe wildlife in their natural habitat. The best thing to do is to denounce such cases, call them out, and refuse their services and hopefully wait for an international media to write about them.

According to the National Hunting Federation, the image of the bear was shared by ‘Gjuetari Pista Kukes’ portal on Wednesday under the comment: “Iku dhe ky” which translates to One Less.
“This is a mischievous act against an animal protected by the law from an irresponsible person, who has nothing in common with the culture, ethics, and morals of a professional hunter,” the federation pointed out while adding, we reject this criminal act with deep repulsion and indignation.”

Wildlife conservation is important and if properly managed it could turn into a source of income especially for areas like Kukes, which is the poorest in Albania.

Read also: FOUR PAWS to Help Abused Bears in Albania