YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)– According to data collected by the State Inspectorate of the Ministry of Nature Protection–wild animals that were thought to be extinct for many decades have been spotted again in Armenia. Thus–today one can come across lynxes–leopards–bears–wild cats–dear–wild goats–ulars–moufflons and bezuars. Wild turkey-hens–partridge and heath-cocks–which were thought extinct long ago–have also been seen again.
However–these same animals began to give trouble to residents. Recently 25 residents of the village of Artsvanik asked the head of the regional administration of Siunik to allow them to hunt the bear and wild boar–which–according to them–get into their orchards and gardens and destroy crops. However–the senior expert for the State Inspectorate of the Ministry of Nature Protection for the Siunik region Robert Mkrtchian denied them–indicating that the given species of bears (the Caucasian brown bear) is entered in the Red Book and are protected by the state. The extermination of this species is punished by the law and a fine of 500,000 drams is stipulated. As for the damage–Mkrtchian advised the villagers to insure their crops as they do in case of natural calamities.