• His Excellency Sultan Alwan: “Rare bird hunting affects the UAE's ranking on the Global Environmental Competitiveness Index” • Hunting ban violation leads to six-month imprisonment, fine up to AED20,000 The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has issued a warning against using electronic devices that mimic bird calls to lure stone-curlews in the UAE. The move follows the increase in hunting of the rare bird species during its winter migration through the country that poses a threat to its reproduction. The UAE has adopted legislations and launched several initiatives for the conservation of rare and endangered bird species.

His Excellency Sultan Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary for the Regions Sector at MOCCAE, said: “The Ministry has recently noticed that some people use electronic devices that imitate the voice of the stone-curlew to attract large numbers of these birds over long distances in order to catch them easily.”  

His Excellency pointed out that hunting stone-curlews is a violation of the Federal Law No. 24 of 1999 for the protection and development of the environment, amended as Federal Law No. 11 of 2006, punishable by imprisonment for a maximum period of six months and a fine of up to AED20,000.

The illegal act also affects the UAE’s high ranking on the Global Environmental Competitiveness Index. In 2017, the country placed 16^th on the Environmental Legislation Implementation Index and the Index of Legislation Effectiveness and Strictness, as compared to the 19^th and 18^th ranks respectively on each index in 2014.

He added: "The UAE will not allow such random individual misdemeanors to affect the unified efforts of government agencies, private sector and other segments of society."

Practical Actions

Commending the environmental protection efforts of local authorities, His Excellency Sultan Alwan said: “In coordination with the UAE Cabinet, MOCCAE is currently preparing to meet with municipalities across the seven emirates to discuss raising awareness regarding this important issue by placing signboards in hunting areas and intensifying campaigns against such violations. Furthermore, the Ministry will review the regulations that control the import of bird song-replicating devices into the country.”

Biodiversity

His Excellency Sultan Alwan explained that the ban on the hunting of threatened species is part of the Ministry’s sustained efforts to preserve the rich biodiversity of the country that comprises a range of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

He said: “In order to achieve the objectives of the National Biodiversity Strategy, MOCCAE has adopted a comprehensive set of legislation and strategies, and launched several initiatives. Among these, the Wildlife Sustainability Program that sums up the country's strategies to protect local wildlife and control trade in animal and plant species holds special importance. Within the framework of the program, we have initiated several significant steps including the National Red List of Threatened Species Project and the National Invasive Species Project."