The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has announced that hunters will now be required to obtain licences before they can hunt grass cutters.
The follows the annual ban on hunting, capturing and destroying of wild animals by the Forestry Commission.
The ban will take effect from August 1 to December 1, 2019 – a period the Commission describes as a “Close Season”.
The ban is being spearheaded the Wildlife Division of the Commission as a measure to help curb the decline of wildlife resources in the country.
The “Close Season” is expected to give some respite to animals and to also regulate their utilisation.
In a statement, the Executive Director of the Wildlife Division said the only wild animal that can be hunted during the period is the grass cutter, locally known as ‘Akrantiɛ’.
Even with that, the statement said, hunters will need a valid license issued by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission to hunt the grass cutters.
“During this period, it shall be illegal for anybody to hunt, capture or destroy any wild animal except the grass cutter (Akrantie), which can be done only under licence issued by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the season for hunting will be reopened from December 2 to July 31, 2020.
