Anima Mundi demands investigation after video shows foreigners hunting wild goats in Mavrovo

Anima Mundi has called for an immediate institutional investigation and accountability after a YouTube video titled "World-class wild goat hunt in the mountains of Macedonia" showed foreign nationals shooting wild goats in Mavrovo and drinking the animals' blood.

The animal-protection group says the footage documents unacceptable behaviour inside the national park and demands authorities determine who authorised and supervised the operation.

"National parks must not become hunting playgrounds, and protected animals must not be chased and killed. Macedonia is not a hunting park for wealthy deviant foreigners. 'Mavrovo' is nobody's trophy. Wild animals are not prey. Nature is not for sale," the organisation said in its statement.

Calls for moratorium and legal clarity

Anima Mundi said it backs Eco-Svest and other environmental groups that have urged the Government and the Ministry of Environment to complete the procedure for re-declaring the park and to immediately impose a moratorium on any activities while legal status is clarified.

National Park Mavrovo director Haris Ibraimi responded that the episode shown in the video was a sanitary cull carried out for health reasons. He said the shooting formed part of a "Breeding Measures Programme" approved by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and aimed at monitoring the health of wildlife in the park.

"When we receive approval for a cull of a certain number of wild animals we start the process. We announce it and hunting societies from here or abroad apply. If foreigners express interest we send them an invitation. When the cull is carried out, movement for that purpose through the national park is obligatorily in our presence," Ibraimi said, adding that the hunters filmed belong to a Spanish hunting society.

Samples from the culled animals are, according to Ibraimi, forwarded to veterinary institutes for testing. Environmental groups say the footage exposes a legal vacuum around the park and demand a full inquiry to identify those responsible and to prevent similar incidents.

Photo: Printskrin od videoto objaveno na Jutjub