The Joint Operations Team of Anti-Poaching (MESHC – SPNL – CABS) released a Golden Eagle in the Shouf Cedar Reserve, in coordination with the reserve’s Project Development Officer, Kamal Abu Assi, and the coordinator of the Ain Zhalta–Bmahrayeh entrance, Bahaa Fleyhan.
This release marks the first direct cooperation between the unit and the reserve, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon and the Ministry of Agriculture, represented by H.E. Minister Dr. Nizar Hani, aimed at combating the illegal trade in wildlife.
The case dates back to the unit’s receipt, some time ago, of a documented complaint reporting a raptor being kept in a cage in the area of Jall El Dib. The team immediately took action and contacted Mr. Pierre Abou Joudeh, the owner of the cage, who showed notable cooperation and expressed his willingness to voluntarily hand over the bird.
After receiving the bird, a veterinarian conducted medical and behavioral examinations, and it was decided to keep the eagle temporarily in captivity until the arrival of the CABS team from Germany and the confirmation of its full readiness for release back into the wild.
The unit also presented Mr. Abou Joudeh with a certificate of appreciation, in recognition of his humanitarian initiative, which prevented the bird from falling victim to an attempted taxidermy by a group seeking to acquire it illegally.
This article was published on this date when the organization was known as the Middle East Sustainable Hunting Center. The name was later changed to the Middle East Center for Sustainable Harvest and Anti-Poaching.
