Khenifra launches Morocco’s 2026-2027 hunting season amid biodiversity concerns

Tuesday 06 - 10:10

Morocco’s Khenifra province has officially launched the 2026-2027 hunting season, placing wildlife management, environmental protection and the local economic impact of hunting at the center of preparations for the new season.

The opening ceremony took place Sunday at Jbel Chahra, in the commune of Moulay Bouazza, bringing together forestry authorities, hunting associations and local stakeholders around a sector that plays a significant role in the Middle Atlas.

Authorities have adopted a series of preventive measures ahead of the season, including field inspections, awareness meetings and workshops aimed at promoting responsible hunting practices. Increased monitoring of hunting reserves and efforts to curb poaching are also part of the strategy.

A province rich in wildlife resources

According to Mohammed Seddik, provincial director of the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) in Khenifra, the province benefits from substantial forest and wildlife resources. Its varied ecosystems, combined with a network of managed hunting areas and reserves dedicated to tourist hunting, have established Khenifra as one of Morocco’s important hunting destinations.

Favorable rainfall recorded last year has also improved vegetation cover and contributed to stronger wildlife populations, raising expectations for a productive season. However, officials and hunting organizations are stressing that favorable conditions must be accompanied by careful management of natural resources.

The hunting sector also has an economic dimension. By attracting hunters from different parts of Morocco and beyond, the activity generates demand for local services and can contribute to employment while supporting nature-based tourism.

Stronger coordination to protect ecosystems

ANEF officials are emphasizing cooperation between local communities, hunting associations and public authorities. Such coordination is considered essential to balancing hunting activity with wildlife conservation and the protection of ecological systems.

Ali Hachmi, president of the Faucon (Assakr) hunting club, said the organization is committed to supporting the development of hunting in the Middle Atlas while preserving the region’s exceptional plant and animal diversity.

He stressed the importance of compliance with the legal framework governing hunting, including daily harvesting limits, authorized hunting days and the prohibition of hunting inside protected reserves.

Water stress raises the need for caution

The start of the new season comes against a backdrop of continuing water stress, a factor that can place additional pressure on wildlife and ecosystems. For hunting stakeholders, this makes responsible practices particularly important.

Hachmi called for a sustainable approach that takes environmental conditions into account and helps protect wildlife populations, biodiversity and the long-term health of local ecosystems.

The province’s hunting areas cover approximately 227,800 hectares, while the territory includes 10 permanent reserves and eight three-year reserves.

Around 4,020 hunters are expected to participate during the 2026-2027 season through 124 licensed associations. Khenifra also has seven hunting-tourism concession agreements granted to specialized companies, alongside two agreements covering private land.

As part of efforts to reinforce wildlife populations, authorities have released more than 830 partridges into hunting areas.

The new season therefore begins with a dual objective: maintaining hunting as an economic and recreational activity while ensuring that the province’s natural resources remain protected. In Khenifra, the challenge will be to reconcile seasonal hunting with the longer-term preservation of the Middle Atlas’s ecological wealth.