Nearly 400 ornamental birds have been seized from a trader in Al Jubail near the Sharjah animal market.
The species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment worked with Sharjah Police to plan the raid.
“We seized around 400 CITES-listed birds, as the perpetrator failed to present a proof of their legal ownership,” said Mohammed Al Zaabi, the ministry's environmental compliance director. “Our control team handed the birds over to one of the ministry’s quarantine centres.”
The Ministry has been notified of 28 similar CITES and environment violations following tip-offs reported through its website and phone calls.
If you see anything suspicious, please contact the UAE Federal Feedback Gateway.
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Government ministries have cracked down on illegal animal trafficking within and through the UAE in recent years. Sharjah issued a ban on keeping dangerous predators in residential areas in 2014 and Federal Law No 22, which regulates the trade and breeding of dangerous animals came into effect in 2017. Last June, lions, snakes and exotic birds were confiscated from homes in Sharjah.
Offenders can face penalties of Dh10,000 to Dh700,000 for the possession, trade and breeding of dangerous animals. However, big cats and other illegal exotic animals like loris and baboons continue to be sold on social media.
