Poisoning in the rural areas of Albania

There are a large number of human practices that pose a threat to wildlife populations. Some of those are easy to target and measure, while several others are almost invisible, such as the practice of poisoning. Wildlife populations, especially vultures, are being affected from this destructive phenomenon, which is systematically used in the rural and mountainous areas of Albania.

 

In order to better understand this phenomenon, our team organized a two-day field expedition in the rural areas of Delvina, where we interviewed a considerable number of local shepherds. The interviews were conducted informally, following a conversational pattern. Through this investigation we managed to gather crucial information about the practice of poisoning and the reasons that stand behind its widespread usage in the region.