The slaughter of six wolf cubs by three nomads in the Errachidia region, and the subsequent dissemination of photos of this horrific act on a messaging app, has sparked outrage among environmental organizations and civil society in Morocco, as well as my own!!
This is a barbaric, monstrous act against very young wolves, and a violation of national and international laws protecting wildlife.
According to several sources, the photos showing the cubs slaughtered next to each other were initially shared within a private group before spreading more widely. The Royal Gendarmerie of Rissani quickly opened a thorough investigation.
Security services collected official statements from the three nomads to determine the circumstances of the incident, the location where it occurred, and their motivations. The suspects have been placed in custody as part of the ongoing investigation. The arrested individuals explained their actions, claiming to fear wolf attacks on their livestock. They confirmed that the slaughter was a precautionary measure.!!!!!!
This incident has reignited the debate on the tense relationships between pastoral communities and predators, particularly wolves, in grazing areas.
An environmental activist from the Rissani region pointed out that the slaughter of these animals, especially when they are young, is a true scandal; he cited national laws and international conventions ratified by Morocco regarding the protection of wildlife, and explained that wolves play an essential ecological role in maintaining the balance of the food chain. He warned that the ongoing decline of their population, due to indiscriminate slaughter, threatens the natural balance of semi-desert regions.
This same environmental activist called for stricter control and the implementation of deterrent mechanisms provided by law. He also emphasized the need to launch awareness campaigns among nomadic and pastoral communities regarding non-lethal alternatives for livestock protection. Environmental advocacy organizations also stress the importance of implementing concrete preventive measures, such as electric fences or trained dogs to protect herds. The goal is to ensure the protection of the livelihoods of local populations without disrupting the ecological balance.
Activists speak of a culture of vengeance against wolves, still present in some pastoral communities. They believe that the solution lies not in extermination, but in coexistence through modern preventive measures.
But at the level of the authorities, the images of the slaughtered cubs should have provoked a national outcry. They elicited only a lukewarm, almost administrative response from the Moroccan authorities. Routine hearings, expected justifications, then silence. This silence in the face of such cruelty speaks volumes about how animal issues are treated: as a secondary, even negligible problem.
An official reaction disconnected from the gravity of the facts.
In Morocco, violence against animals is tolerated if not implicitly encouraged. Behind the arguments of protecting herds or managing risks, a glaring absence of coherent policy emerges. By remaining silent and inactive, the authorities foster a troubling normalization of highly condemnable cruel practices. In the face of such a shocking crime, the response from institutions should have been exemplary. Instead, it conveys the opposite feeling: that of a system that minimizes, relativizes, and ultimately excuses.
The argument of fear from breeders can in no way justify the wild slaughter of very young animals.
It is precisely in these situations that the state must intervene firmly, offering credible alternatives and sanctioning these excesses. This lack of rigor sends a dangerous message: that some forms of violence are acceptable if they fall within local practices.
This stance undermines not only the protection of biodiversity, but also the credibility of Morocco's environmental commitments on the international stage. What is the use of official speeches if, on the ground, nothing really changes?
Just like for the stray dogs that continue to be slaughtered for their mere existence.
World Cup 2030: an image tarnished by immense cruelty towards animals.
The situation is set to become even more concerning as major events such as the 2030 World Cup approach. While Morocco seeks to project an image of modernity, campaigns to eliminate stray animals are causing great outrage. Testimonies and images shared depict particularly shocking practices: thousands of very poor animals poisoned, animals burned, or coldly shot, then left to suffer on the ground in significant pain.
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