Tunis/Tunisia — The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries will work on the development of a scientific work programme to address the threats that have affected natural resources and consider ways to economically value them, said Minister Abdelmonem Belati.
This came during a meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and the President of AAO BirdLife Tunisia, Hadi Issa, on Saturday, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The meeting focused on cooperation and joint work programmes between the ministry and the association to protect migratory and other birds in Tunisia from extinction due to indiscriminate hunting and the effects of climate change and water scarcity on bird life on the one hand, and to preserve biological and ecological diversity on the other.
AAO Birdlife Tunisia had previously issued an alarm about the need to protect migratory and other birds in Tunisia from extinction due to indiscriminate hunting or pollution.
It pointed out that the presence of many bird species in Tunisia, such as songbirds, storks, capercaillie and others, had declined over the past decade.
The association blamed this on the existence of many violations practised against migratory and other birds, such as the illegal hunting of protected bird species, which are also sold, and complacency in the application of the law.
Climate change and the factor of rising temperatures have also affected the length of stay of migratory birds in Tunisia, as these species used to flock to Tunisia from November onwards.
