Article 23 of the Saudi Environment Law
المادة 23 من نظام البيئة · الفصل الخامس: الحياة الفطرية
The article tasks the competent authority with specifying the endangered wild organism species whose killing, hunting, or trade in them, their derivatives or products is prohibited.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تُحدد الجهة المختصة أنواع الكائنات الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض التي يُحظر قتلها أو صيدها، أو الاتجار بها أو مشتقاتها أو منتجاتها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 23 explained in plain English
This article opens the provisions on wildlife, and deals with its most serious case: endangered organisms.
Who specifies the species? The competent authority specifies the species of endangered wild organisms. Under Article 1, wild organisms are any living or dead organism that scientifically belongs to the animal or plant groups, and do not include humans and domesticated and tame organisms. The definition thus also covers plants, and covers a dead organism.
What is prohibited? As to the species the competent authority specifies, the following is prohibited:
- Killing them.
- Hunting them.
- Trading in them or their derivatives or products.
Under Article 1, a derivative is anything extracted from wild organisms, naturally or unnaturally, and a product is any part of any wild organism, whether partly or wholly processed or unprocessed. The prohibition therefore covers selling skins, horns or any part of these organisms.
The article mentions no exception by license for these species. It is followed by Article 24, which requires a license to trade in, transport and possess other species the competent authority specifies. Anyone dealing in this field can consult a lawyer specialized in environmental laws.
Practical example
A trader in a traditional market is offered a product made from the skin of an animal that the competent authority has specified among the endangered species. Under Article 23, trading in this animal's products is prohibited, so he may not buy it to resell.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 23 of the Saudi Environment Law
Who specifies the endangered animals?
The competent authority specifies the species of endangered wild organisms.
Does the prohibition cover only selling parts of the animal?
The prohibition covers trading in the endangered organisms or their derivatives or products, and a product is any part of the wild organism.
Do wild organisms include plants?
Yes. The definition in Article 1 covers the animal and plant groups.
More articles on Hunting and Wildlife
- Article 24
The article prohibits, without a license, trading in, transporting, selling and possessing wild organism species the competent authority specifies, and keeping live animals of them in controlled places or using them in shows.
1- يُحظر -دون الحصول على ترخيص فيما يتعلق بأنواع الكائنات الفطرية التي تحددها الجهة المختصة- القيام بأي مما يأتي: أ- الاتجار بأي منها أو منتجاتها أو مشتقاتها، س
- Article 25
The Article prohibits importing, exporting or re-exporting, for non-commercial purposes, species of wildlife or their products or derivatives that the competent authority specifies, without the competent authority's approval.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الرابعة والعشرين) من النظام، يُحظر استيراد أو تصدير أو إعادة تصدير -للأغراض غير التجارية- أي من أنواع الكائنات الفطرية
- Article 26
The Article prohibits killing or harming live wild animals, and as an exception allows killing them in specific cases set out in the regulations.
يُحظر قتل الكائنات الفطرية الحيوانية الحية أو إيذاؤها. واستثناء من ذلك، يجوز في حالات محددة قتل تلك الكائنات، وذلك وفقاً لما تُبيّنه اللوائح.
- Article 27
The Article prohibits hunting live wild animals, and allows hunting specific species under a license, provided the specified species, places and times are respected and no lures or mass-capture methods are used.
يُحظر صيد الكائنات الفطرية الحيوانية الحية. واستثناء من ذلك، يجوز صيد أنواع محددة منها بعد الحصول على ترخيص، مع مراعاة الآتي: 1- أن يُقصر الصيد على الأنواع التي
- Article 28
The Article prohibits bringing any biological control agent into the Kingdom, or using one, without a license, in accordance with the regulations.
يُحظر إدخال أي من وسائل المكافحة الحيوية إلى المملكة، أو استخدام أي منها؛ دون الحصول على ترخيص، وذلك وفقاً لما تُبيّنه اللوائح.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.