Ministry increases fines for illegal hunting of wild animals

The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP), an affiliate of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, has announced increased fines for the illegal hunting of wild animals in the 2021-22 hunting season.

According to the notice issued by the DKMP, the highest fine will be 267,000 Turkish Liras ($33,600) for hunting a mountain sheep, while the lowest fine will be 4,700 Turkish Liras ($592) for killing a stork or a swan.

Also, the DKMP will impose fines of 60,000 liras ($7,564) for hunting a wild goat, 30,000 liras ($3,782) for a brown bear, 26,500 liras ($3,340) for a tiger wolf and 35,000 liras ($4,412) for a red deer.

The penalty for hunting a Mediterranean monk seal will be 16,000 liras ($2,000), while some 13,200 liras ($1,664) will be assessed for a wild cat and some 25,000 liras ($3,150) for a gazelle, according to the notice.

The fee for hunting viper types will range from 8,500 liras to 16,000 liras (between $1,071 and $2,000).

The notice also consists of the price list for bird species.

The DKMP will ask 15,000 Turkish Liras ($1,891) for a hunted sparrowhawk, 10,500 Turkish Liras for a hermit ibis ($1,321) and 6,600 Turkish Liras ($832) for a crane.

Turkey,