Dozens of captive partridges released into the wild in Raparin as part of poaching crackdown

RAPARIN – Authorities in Sulaymaniyah’s Raparin Autonomous Administration have freed 42 captive partridges on Tuesday evening after they were found in the possession of a resident at the Qamteran checkpoint, the Raparin Forestry and Environment Police Directorate said.

The birds were handed over to the Chwarqurna Forestry and Environment Police Station, where they were released into the wild and returned to nature, the directorate said in a statement.

Illegal hunting remain a major concern in the region. Since the beginning of the year, the Sulaymaniyah Forestry and Environment Police have arrested more than 40 poachers. The agency continues its efforts to combat illegal hunting through regular patrols, strict enforcement of penalties, and community engagement initiatives.

Under the 2008 Environmental Protection and Improvement Law, hunting, capturing, or trading endangered species is strictly prohibited. Violators can face penalties of up to one month in prison and fines with harsher consequences for repeat offenders.