2000 endangered birds killed by Saudi Prince

There is scandal in Pakistan; a very rich Saudi prince, who has a big passion for the ancient art of falconry, has killed no less than 2000 endangered birds during a routine hunt.

Endangered Birds

Every year these birds make their migration from Central Asia to the deserts in Pakistan and at the same time wealthy Arabs then make their way to the same place for the hunting season. Apparently the bird’s meat is an aphrodisiac and is very expensive.

In addition to the environmental degradation and loss of habitat, the bird’s biggest threat is the ancient art of falconry.

 Routine Hunts

During the prince’s usual hunts he uses trained hawks to kill houbara buzzards, which is prohibited because this little bird is on the endangered list. In other words there are not many of them left in the wild. They are said to be declining at an alarming rate of 20-29 percent per year.

 Authorities Turn A Blind Eye

Unfortunately the Pakistani authorities turn a blind eye for some people; in this case they are VIP’s like the prince. They hand out permits to some to hunt the birds while it is actually forbidden. The permit allows the prince to catch about 100 birds, but instead he took advantage and caught almost 2000.

 There has been no news on whether the prince will face any charges.

 Source: 20 minutes & The Huffington Post