Ministry of Environment Announces End of Hunting Season for Birds and Wild Animals

End of the hunting season for birds and wild animals in the country, starting on February 15, 2024

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change announced the end of the hunting season for birds and wild animals in the country, starting on February 15, 2024, in accordance with the ministerial decision organizing the hunting season for the years 2023/2025.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change stressed the necessity of refraining from hunting birds after February 15, pointing out that anyone who infringes on wildlife through hunting of birds or wild animals after that period will expose himself to legal accountability in accordance with Law No. 4 of 2002.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change had issued ministerial decision No. 24 for 2023 regulating the hunting season for some birds and wild animals, which stipulated in its first article that the hunting season for migratory birds (locally called Al Lafo) begins from September 1 to February 15, without other than the year for a period of two years starting from the effective date of this decision.

This is for the following species: Bustard, Curlew, Duck, blue rock Thrush, Song thrush , Eurasian golden oriole, Collared lark, Isabelline wheatear, Wheatear Deseter, Oenanthe oenanthe.

Article 2 of the decision also stipulates that whoever hunts must adhere to the following: hunting the Houbara bustard with falcons only, not using or exchanging untraditional hunting tools and means, especially electrical machines that emit sounds similar to bird calls (calling devices), not harming others, while hunting for bird eggs, disturbing their nests, and not harming meadows and wild plants.

Article 2 also included that hunting should take place during the period from sunrise to sunset. It is prohibited to sell, trade, or trade in birds that have been hunted according to the species attached to the decision. Hunting is prohibited within the scope of natural reserves, islands, and artificial lakes, and within the boundaries of cities, villages, and public parks, and at a distance less than five hundred meters from public roads, and inside private property and farms, except with the approval of their owners and those with rights over them.

The decision also included, in its third article, a ban on hunting or possessing any other local, endemic, or migratory wild animals, birds, and reptiles (Al Lafo) in all regions of the country throughout the year, for a period of two years starting from the effective date of this decision, in particular (hare, ostrich, deer, skunk, gerbil, hedgehog, shrike, crested lark, pheasant, spiny-tailed lizard, and monitor lizard).

As stated in Article 4, without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated by another law, anyone who violates the provisions of this decision shall be punished with the penalty stipulated in Law No. 4 of 2002 mentioned above. 

Source: QNA