Saudi police had arrested nine persons for trespassing into a protected reserve for illegal hunting, local media reported.
The arrests were made by the Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES) who caught the offenders with five falcons used for hunting in their possession in the Royal Turki bin Abdullah Reserve in the region of Ha’il in north-western Saudi Arabia.
The offenders face charges of entering a protected area without a permit and illegal hunting.
SFES spokesman Major Raed Al Maliki said unlicensed entry of protected areas and poaching are punishable by SR5,000 for each offence under the Saudi environment law.
Established in 2018, SFES, an affiliate of the Saudi Interior Ministry, is tasked with protecting the environment, wildlife and biodiversity in the kingdom and to apply regulations in conservation areas.
Saudi Arabia has recently unveiled a package of initiatives to protect the environment and confront climate change.
In October, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that his country aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 and will start planting 45 million trees in a first stage.
