NCW Launches Third Phase of Initiative to Rectify Status of Wildlife in Saudi Arabia

 The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) launched the third phase of its initiative to rectify the status of unlicensed wildlife owned by individuals, continuing until May 31, as part of national efforts to regulate wildlife possession, document ownership, and ensure that sheltering, breeding, and trading practices comply with the Environmental Law and its executive regulations.
 This phase follows the first and second phases of the initiative, which addressed the status of falcons, private ownership collections, breeding and sheltering centers, and business establishments involved in selling wildlife products or derivatives. The third phase targets individuals who possess or trade wildlife on a broader scale.
 The initiative aims to build an accurate database of wildlife within the Kingdom, strengthen oversight of ownership and trading activities, and raise sheltering standards in line with environmental and health considerations. These measures contribute to limiting unregulated practices that may harm natural habitats or threaten wildlife species and reflect a growing national commitment to protecting biodiversity and enhancing the efficiency of wildlife management.
 The NCW emphasized that this step comes within national efforts to protect wildlife, support ecosystem sustainability, and tackle the challenges of illegal wildlife trade.
 It also called on individuals who own wildlife to take advantage of the rectification period and review the relevant regulations through the Fitri Platform. This enables the legal documentation of wildlife, strengthens compliance with environmental regulations, and contributes to the protection of biodiversity and the sustainability of ecosystems in the Kingdom.