Authorities seize 7,000 dead birds in largest recorded hunting violation

AMMAN — Authorities on Wednesday announced the seizure of 7,000 dead birds in the largest hunting violation ever recorded in the Kingdom. 

The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and the Rangers caught the hunter and confiscated the dead birds last week after receiving reports about a person in possession of large numbers of dead wild birds.

“The hunter, who is a government employee, had the birds frozen, packaged and all prepared for selling,” RSCN Director General Yehya Khaled told The Jordan Times.

He said that the hunter was either planning to export the dead birds to a Gulf country, according to his claims, or sell them to upscale restaurants that serve the birds as a delicacy for high prices.

The hunter was found in possession of 6,800 figbirds, 40 yellow finches and 45 wild doves, according to the RSCN.

“All the birds are wild. The hunter hunted them in the eastern desert by setting traps at farms and nearby wells to catch large numbers,” Khaled noted.

The hunter is in violation of the Agriculture Law, according to the RSCN.

“The violator will be fined JD20-25 for every bird killed if the law is applied,” Khaled said.

Also last week, the RSCN and the Rangers seized and confiscated 22 tortoises, a fox, an owl and a common kestrel on display for sale, according to the RSCN, which noted that they were all wild animals.