Saudi man arrested for harboring 30 endangered wildlife animals

Doha: Authorities in Saudi Arabia apprehended a local man for harboring thirty endangered species and exhibiting them without a license, according to the Saudi newspaper Makkah.

Following the arrest, the Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES) in Saudi Arabia found ten lions, four lionesses, four cubs, five tigers, two bears, two crocodiles, one ibex, and other Arabian Oryx. 

The newspaper quoted an SFES spokesperson saying that the "the violator was referred to the Public Prosecution, and the animals have been handed over to the competent authorities," and that his actions were a “violation of environmental law and the executive regulations for trading in wild animals, their products and derivatives."

The penalty for trading endangered wildlife is either a fine of 30 million Saudi riyals or up to ten-year jail term, said the SFES spokesperson.