Hunters in Lebanon use automatic rifles to gun down dozens of rare birds ‘for fun’

This rare stork was shot and killed while on its migration route through the region of Akkar, in northern Lebanon. This image was sent to us by our Observers, Lebanese animal rights activists, on April 14, 2023. © Observers

People hunting for sport in northern Lebanon used automatic rifles to massacre dozens of rare wild birds traveling through the region on their migration route to Europe. Lebanese animal rights activists have denounced the cruelty of these hunters who slaughter these protected species with total impunity “for fun".

Videos filmed in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon show people using “military weapons” to slaughter dozens of rare migratory birds. Our Observers say the weapons included M16s and AK-47 Kalashnikovs. The videos were posted online on April 9 and 10.