Hunting is inextricably linked with the system of rational nature management. It comes down not only to the extraction of wild animals and birds, but is also aimed at their protection and restoration. The breeding and use of hunting objects, as well as the organization of the hunting infrastructure for the provision of services in many countries, are carried out by hunting farms.
A group of ecologists and naturalists of Turkmenistan is working on a project to create a hunting and fishing economy, which will involve the relevant sectors of the private sector, and primarily the Lebap velayat, in the process of improving nature management. The project is carried out within the framework of the WWF / RF (World Wide Fund for Nature / RF) on the conservation of biodiversity in the mountains of Central Asia.
With questions about how the project is being prepared, and what territories can be included in the scope of the future hunting economy, we turned to the project manager, hunting specialist Batyr Taganov:
- The idea of organizing a hunting farm in the south of the Lebap velayat arose as a result of studying the WWF / RF Global Project on the conservation of biodiversity in the mountains of Central Asia. The Tallymerdzhen-Kelif-Zeyit area is one of the priority areas of this project. Administratively, this is the Lebap velayat (Kerki etrap), on the territory of which the Kelif uzboy is located with the lakes of the same name and the Zeyit reservoir.
To collect data on the nomination of the future hunting and fishing base "Kelif", we conducted an expedition last autumn. On the routes, we carried out reconnaissance work, description of model areas, hydrological conditions, vegetation and other features of the territory. It is noted that from mountain animals in these places live: jackal, fox, reed cat, hare, sometimes wild boar and wolves come. And among the birds - dove, pheasant, white-bellied, less often black-bellied grouse. On migration and wintering grounds there are gray and white-fronted geese, shelducks, mallards, common teals, red-headed and red-nosed pochards, great and small cormorants, various waders and other water birds. On the Kelif lakes there are curly and pink pelicans, white-fronted goose, marbled teal, white-eyed pochard, and flamingos fly in some winters.
- In December 2021, the Law “On hunting and protection of hunting wealth” was adopted in Turkmenistan. Is your Project a repetition of the fixed measures in this normative act?
- The development of a standard project will create an infrastructure for hunting in Turkmenistan and ensure the implementation of one of the provisions of this Law. To do this, we held meetings with representatives of local communities that are directly related to wetlands and sites for the future base of the hunting and fishing economy "Kelif".
The production potential of the economy in the broad sense of the word depends on the natural features of the land, their properties and features of development. Hence the need for a deep knowledge of the territory. This is an indispensable condition for its correct and rational development.
In our country, there is a practice of exploitation of assigned hunting grounds (not hunting grounds). These lands are considered as areas that bring mainly game for personal consumption without a tangible economic effect for society as a whole.
- It would not be superfluous to mention that we have a Society of hunters and fishermen ...
- Yes, it acts in the interests of its hunting enthusiast members. Hunting grounds are assigned to each subdivision of society in the velayats, where they have the right to engage in amateur hunting. Another thing is the hunting economy, the main task of which is to provide not only sports and recreational needs, but also the use of a variety of hunting and fishing products. For these purposes, a hunting economy is being organized and equipped, where the protection, reproduction and rational use of stocks of wild animals and birds is carried out.
The proposal to organize a hunting farm in our project implies the assignment of hunting grounds to the user on a permanent basis.
- What is the practical return on the project you are working on?
- According to game scientists, the results of the project will allow showing interested entrepreneurs and / or beneficiaries the economic benefits of providing environmental services when organizing a specialized hunting and farming enterprise "Kelif". In turn, this will serve to develop more effective environmental protection activities.
