Cairo: Security agencies in Saudi Arabia have seized a cheetah, a wolf and a large snake in possession of a citizen, state wildlife authorities have said.
The National Centre for Wildlife added that one of its teams had brought under control a hunting cheetah, an Arabian wolf and a python after they had been caught with the man.
“Necessary medical treatment was provided for them and they were transferred to a sheltering unit linked to the centre,” it added on Twitter.
The centre posted several pictures showing the seized animals and the reptile kept in cages and transferred into an equipped vehicle.
It was not immediately clear how the man got access to them in violation of wildlife laws in the kingdom.
In 2021, Saudi authorities warned against illegal rearing of predators after a lion mauled its keeper to death in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia bans dealing in endangered animals including keeping and displaying them.
Violations are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of SR30 million.
In recent years, incidents involving wild animals in Saudi Arabia were reported on social media.
Saudi authorities said earlier this week they had taken control of a fox spotted in a residential area in the east of the kingdom.
The Royal Commission for Jubail said it had acted in response to the presence of an Arabian fox in the area in Industrial Jubail city.
A team of specialists with their equipment were dispatched to the area and brought the animal under control.
After checking its health and feeding it, the animal was released in its natural habitat to preserve environmental balance, the commission added.
In January, a video circulating on social media, showed a wolf wandering in a garden allegedly in Al Sulfi governorate in central Riyadh.
Last March, another video showed a lion bleeding after being run over by a car allegedly in Riyadh.
