Illegal hunting!

The New Year and Christmas holidays are over, but poachers' desire to adorn their tables with game dishes has not disappeared. In the Rossony district, a major case of illegal elk poaching involving three "hunters" is under investigation.

The hunting season for adult elk closed last year. Hunting in January is permitted only for calves born this year. Females are currently carrying offspring. Typically, an elk gives birth to only one calf, and pregnancy lasts almost as long as in humans – 7.5 months. Poaching a female during this period is a true sacrilege. However, poachers disregard all humanity – they shot a pregnant elk with two embryos.

The remains of the female elk were discovered on January 10, 2023, by employees of the Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora in the hunting grounds of OOO "EuroPark" near the village of Bolshiye Osetki, Rossony district. By that time, the poachers had already fled and were likely celebrating their successful "operation." However, within a few hours, through the joint efforts of law enforcement officers, it was possible to identify three suspects, local residents (their full names and addresses are not disclosed in the interest of the investigation).

Currently, one of the suspects is in custody. Two hunting rifles, a UAZ vehicle, and game meat have been seized from the offenders. Based on this fact, the Rossony District Department of the Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case under Part 4 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. An investigation is underway.

Poachers will have to pay a significant sum of money: compensation for environmental damage will amount to 33,300 rubles. Moreover, the unborn calf is counted as an adult. In addition to this, there will be punishment under the criminal code. And, of course, no amount of money can restore the loss of reputation among fellow villagers, as all secrets eventually come to light.

For additional information or to report instances of poaching, please contact the Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora at: Verkhnedvinsk, Sovetskaya St., bldg. 193/2, or by calling the inspectorate's hotline at 6 17 23.

Senior State Inspector

Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate V.A. Goncheronok