Thursday, February 13th, 2014 | Posted by admin
Police track social media to cut down on illegal hunting

By M.ZOLJARGAL

Delegates of the Ministry of Environment and Green Development, Foundation for Animal Rights Protection and State Investigation Authority held a press conference on Tuesday and reported that they have started investigating individuals who posted their hunting pictures on Facebook and Twitter as the ministry has banned hunting of wildlife for sports or any household purposes in 2014.
The delegates reported that they have started forming a database on illegal hunting pictures posted on social media.
In the database, hunting pictures of many national celebrities and politicians are being stored. For instance, the pictures showing a brown bear hunt posted by member of the parliament (MP) N.Nomtoibayar in Selenge Province, boar hunt by MP J.Enkhbayar and State Elephant (National Wrestling Rank Title) B.Soronzonbold at Mount Burkhan Khaldun, wolf and deer hunts by actors B.Baatarkhuu and Ts.Batkhuyag.
The pictures of several people who sold many hunted wolves in Govi-Altai in 2012 were also exposed on the internet.
The ministry also reported that 94 percent of 46,982 registered firearms in Mongolia are being used for hunting while most of the guns are designated for military purpose instead of hunting.
Investigators initiate criminal case on brutal wolf hunting
The Division Against Environmental and Wildlife Crimes of the State Investigation Authority (SIA) have initiated a criminal case on four young men who posted a video footage and pictures of wolves and other fauna being hunted in a violent and brutal manner, on their Facebook pages last month. The footage showed the four men repeatedly shooting and driving over wild animals.
Similar videos of animal abuse have been surfacing in a large number on social media pages and groups of Mongolians lately and the authorities have started a campaign to track down suspects for interrogation.
The SIA reported that it sent the case materials to the Ulaanbaatar City Prosecutor’s Office.
Under the Mongolian law, if deemed guilty, a person accused of animal abuse and brutality can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The fine for illegal wolf hunting is 1.2 million MNT, while the fine for illegal bear hunting is 13 million MNT-15 million MNT, 1.4 million MNT- 1.6 million MNT for illegal boar hunting, a million MNT to 1.1 million MNT for illegal white-tailed antelope hunting and 360,000 MNT to 400,000 MNT for illegal marmot hunting.
The Ministry of Environment and Green Development has not issued a quota on wildlife hunting in 2014, meaning that hunting of any wild fauna is illegal.
Two caught smuggling a frozen snow leopard
On Monday at around 5 p.m., the police detained two men who were carrying a frozen body of a snow leopard in a Renault Master van at Amgalan, 12th khoroo of Bayanzurkh District. Snow leopards are an endangered species, inscribed in the Mongolian Red Book.
The Police Division Against Environmental Crimes under the Criminal Police Department said that it received reports from locals that a snow leopard is being smuggled and officers apprehended the suspects.
The smugglers told the police during an interrogation that they didn’t hunt the snow leopard themselves and were transporting it to sell it to a Chinese customer in Ulaanbaatar.
The Bayanzurkh District Police Division No.1 is currently investigating the case. A division official said, “We are working to find the poacher who illegally hunted the snow leopard and the intended buyer. Furthermore, we are evaluating the loss to ecology and economy caused by illegal snow leopard hunting.”
The official also highlighted that technological advancements are necessary as crimes and smuggling of rare flora and fauna, illegal logging and mining have become more sophisticated and organized. “Ecological and economic losses caused by illegal mining and smuggling are increasing due to insufficient personnel and equipment,” he added.
84 smuggled marmot skins caught at Mongolia-China border
Zamiin-Uud Customs Authority caught four passengers in a vehicle attempting to smuggle 84 marmot skins to China on Wednesday. The passengers were reportedly hiding 64 skins in their clothes, while the remaining 20 were hidden in their handbags.
The population of marmot has significantly dropped in Mongolia and many marmot habitats are facing extinction in recent years due to massive illegal hunting despite the Ministry of Environment and Green Development’s ban on marmot hunting and exportation.

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