The police arrested five poachers who caught hedgehogs near the village of Minzuhar in Kardzhali to cook and eat them, the Regional Inspectorate for the Environment and Waters (RIOSV) in Haskovo reported.
A fine of up to BGN 5,000 threatens the men who were found to have 12 live hedgehogs during the inspection. They admitted to the law enforcement authorities and an expert from RIOSV – Haskovo that they hunt hedgehogs to feed on them.
Residents of the village of Minzuhar noticed that on Monday evening, unknown persons were walking around the area. The people called the police and a patrol from the local police station in Chernoochene stopped a car with five men in it for inspection – two from the village of Budeshte in Stara Zagora, two from Yablkovo in Dimitrovgrad and one from Klokotnitsa in Haskovo.
During the inspection, it was found that the persons were transporting 12 hedgehogs in a green canvas bag. During interrogation, it was found that they were hunting hedgehogs with the help of a trained dog.
Acts under the Biodiversity Act have been drawn up for the five. The penalty for individuals is from BGN 100 to BGN 5,000.
The hedgehogs were released by the Ministry of Interior officials in their natural environment.
Darık.news
Tags: detained poachers village Minzuhar hunting hedgehogs eat
