A swallow, an eagle or an owl are not simply beautiful birds. An owl can for example eat about 5000 rats per year. Quite an asset if you consider the danger and the financial and environmental cost of poisoning chemicals.

Internationally, wildlife criminality is in the top 10 most profitable activities for criminal organisations.

Palestine makes no exception. Furthermore, environmental threats, global in nature, are exacerbated in situations of conflict.

This is why EUPOL COPPS Environmental Investigation Adviser held a joint lecture on combatting wildlife and nature crime with the director of the Palestinian Society for Environment and Sustainable Development, Sa’ed Shomaly, attended by 19 officers from several Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) branches, on 17 September in Bethlehem.

The Palestinian PCP officers joining the event, held in the multipurpose room furbished by EUPOL COPPS  are from the Environmental Crime Unit and the Investigation Unit (Bethlehem and Hebron Branches) and the Palestinian College for Police Sciences (Jericho). An officer from the Palestinian Customs Service and two inspectors from the  Environmental Quality Authority completed the group.

Although small, Palestine is home to a precious and huge biodiversity (379 kind of birds, 42 types of reptiles, 98 species of mammals), which is under threat, as the Palestinian environmental expert detailed about, showing real case videos of captured eagles and hyenas cubs being freed and released in the environment they belong to, as examples.

The expert on Palestinian Wildlife talked about the importance of protecting the local biodiversity, detailed on the illegal wildlife market, and the importance of cooperation and the rehabilitation of rescued animals.

EUPOL COPPS Environmental expert detailed on international Conventions and investigations, the importance of cooperation among agencies and authorities and the relevance of cooperation with civil society.

The pertinence of accurate reporting and investigating on the profits of such crimes and on animal cruelty was also discussed in a climate of high interaction and palpable genuine interest in the room.

The joint lecture was facilitated by the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation, a German NGO and coordinated by the Training Coordinator from the PCP Bethlehem Directorate.