Министерство охраны окружающей среды и природных ресурсов Грузии сообщает, что в течение последних дней браконьеры застрелил двух оленей в разных регионах страны.

On 7 February, employees of the ministry’s Supervisory Department identified a case in Dusheti, a region in the north of Georgia.

After receiving a tip-off, the department sent a group to investigate the case. After checking on a group of six hunters, they discovered the dismembered body of a deer.

In a video provided to OC Media by the ministry, one of the poachers claims that he was ‘hunting for migratory birds’ and that he shot the deer accidently.

‘It was a valley. I heard a noise and it scared me. I knew that there were wolves and bears there and I fired, and it turned out that I killed a deer. I’ve never killed a deer in my life, this happened for the first time’, the poacher said.

The poachers admitted their guilt, and now the Ministry of Internal Affairs will investigate the case further. The ministry claims that value of the loss to nature is ₾5,000 ($1,800).

Another case took place in the village of Chitakhevi, near the resort of Borjomi in southern Georgia.

Forest Rangers heard gunshots, and after searching, discovered a wounded deer.

The ministry believes that the deer was likely shot by two hunters, who managed to hide.

The deer was brought to the vet, but it was not possible to save it.

The supervisory department of the ministry informed OC Media that in 2016, the ministry identified 861 cases of poaching. Criminal investigations were launched in seven cases.