Somalia:Foreign Helicopters hunt wildlife

GARA’AD (Mareeg) Residents and elders in the Somali Coastal town of Gara’ad in Mudug region in central Somalia have expressed concern over helicopters hunting various types of wildlife, residents said on Saturday. 

According to the residents the helicopters flying in low level are hunting wildlife including gazelles and ostrich in the area. 

The clan elders in the area said they have agreed to preserve the wildlife ten years ago and imposed fines on anybody held on hunting after the wildlife in the area was close to extinction. 

It is not known which country the helicopters from but foreign powers Including NATO have deployed warships to the waters off Somalia over past years to protect the Somali pirates from hijacking merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden and the coast off Somalia. 

The elders called on Puntland government to protect the wildlife which the foreign helicopters hunting. 

It was August last year when the elders and the residents in the same Village have voiced concern over helicopters hunting their wild life.