PHOTOS: Bears released in Kurdistan Mountains to revive wildlife

The release ceremony on Mount Gara, Feb. 11, 2021. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
The release ceremony on Mount Gara, Feb. 11, 2021. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish American Cooperation Organization released six bears into the wild in the Kurdistan Region’s Gara mountain, in an ongoing effort to protect the species from extinction.

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Photo: Kurdistan 24

“A ceremony took place today to release six wild bears in mount Gara in Duhok’s Amedi district,” Blend Brifkani, the head of the local organization, told Kurdistan 24 on Thursday, indicating that the “bears were both bought and donated by their previous owner to the organization to help preserve the species."

Photo: Kurdistan 24
Photo: Kurdistan 24

According to Brifkani, the release was part of a conservation effort, "to preserve the species of bears, protect them from extinction, and restore natural life in the areas of Mount Gara."

A number of environmental activists, tourists and people from the region attended the release ceremony.

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Photo: Kurdistan 24

It is the organization’s third such project. Previously they released six bears in the Halgourd-Sakran wildlife protection reserve in Erbil, and another two in mount Gara in the last four years.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly

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Photo: Kurdistan 24
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Photo: Kurdistan 24
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Photo: Kurdistan 24
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Photo: Kurdistan 24
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Photo: Kurdistan 24