Cairo: Engaging in unlicensed training for hunting weapons in Saudi Arabia has been declared a punishable offense, with offenders facing imprisonment and fines, according to warnings issued by the kingdom’s public prosecution. Setting up a business to train in the use of hunting weapons without the required license can result in a maximum prison term of one year and fines reaching up to SR5,000, or a combination of both penalties.
Saudi Arabia has recently escalated efforts to combat ecological violations, reflecting its commitment to pro-environment initiatives. In a recent development, Saudi police apprehended a citizen for violating the kingdom’s environment law, accusing them of owning and displaying 21 creatures, including endangered animals, without the necessary license. The detection of this illegal act was a result of collaboration between the Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES) and the Saudi National Centre for Wildlife in the Asir region in south-western Saudi Arabia.
Displaying wildlife creatures, whether alive or dead and of unknown origin, is considered an offense under Saudi law, and the associated fines can reach up to SR10,000. Furthermore, the display of endangered wildlife creatures carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, along with fines of up to SR30 million or a combination of both penalties.
In a previous incident in August, SFES police arrested two individuals for violating hunting codes within royal nature reserves in the capital, Riyadh. One violator, caught with an unlicensed air rifle, had hunted 22 birds in the Royal King Khaled Reserve. Another person, apprehended in the Royal King Abdulaziz Reserve, possessed two air rifles and had hunted 12 birds. The seized rifles were confiscated, and legal actions were initiated against them for illegal hunting. The stringent measures underscore Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preserving its environment and maintaining a sustainable ecological balance.
