RIYADH: Three citizens have been arrested for violating the country’s environmental laws, with two held for illegal hunting of wildlife and one for arson, the Special Forces for Environmental Security announced on Sunday.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the SPES said its field patrols arrested Ahmed Suleiman Maqbool Al-Sharari and Zahir Dhaif Allah Muslim Al-Sharari for hunting without licenses inside the King Salman Royal Natural Reserve.
They were caught in possession of a firearm, live ammunition and a rabbit, according to the SPES.
The SPES said there is a $21,300 penalty for hunting without a license using firearms. In addition, there is a $1,330 fine for hunting during prohibited periods, and $4,790 for catching wild rabbits.
Covering an area of 130,000 sq. km, the KSRNR is Saudi Arabia’s largest natural reserve. Located in the Kingdom’s north near the border with Jordan, it is known for its geographic and heritage diversity, and rare monuments dating back to about 8,000 B.C.
In the arson case, the SPES said the arrested citizen — whose identity was not mentioned — was found to have set fire to vegetation cover in the northwestern province of Hail.
The agency said there were fines of up to $799 for setting fire to vegetation.
The SPES called on the public to help protect the environment by reporting violations to 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.
