A grazing violation was detected in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve
The Special Forces for Environmental Security announced the arrest of a citizen who violated environmental regulations by grazing 19 camels in prohibited areas within the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve. This action comes as part of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to preserve the vegetation and natural resources of the royal reserves and to enforce regulations against all violators.
Integrated efforts to preserve nature within the framework of Vision 2030
This incident comes within the broader context of the transformations taking place in Saudi Arabia in the field of environmental protection, which is a cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030. Royal reserves were established by royal decree with the aim of preserving ecological balance, reintroducing endangered animals, and developing natural vegetation. The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve, formerly known as Rawdat Khuraim, is considered one of the most important of these reserves due to its strategic location near the capital, Riyadh, and its unique biodiversity, providing a safe haven for many rare wildlife and desert plants.
The aim of imposing strict restrictions on human activities within these reserves, such as grazing, logging and hunting, is to give fragile ecosystems the opportunity to recover and thrive naturally, contributing to combating desertification, improving air quality and promoting sustainable ecotourism in the long term.
The risks of overgrazing on ecosystems in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve
Overgrazing or unregulated grazing is one of the greatest threats facing desert environments, leading to the rapid degradation of vegetation cover, exposing the soil to water and wind erosion, and accelerating desertification. It also negatively impacts biodiversity by eliminating native plants upon which other organisms depend for food and shelter. The strict enforcement of regulations, as demonstrated in the case of the violator apprehended in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve, sends a clear message that preserving these natural resources for future generations is a paramount and non-negotiable priority.
Strict application of environmental penalties
The Special Forces for Environmental Security clarified that the penalty for grazing camels in prohibited areas is a fine of 500 riyals per camel, confirming that the necessary legal procedures were applied to the violator and he was referred to the competent authorities for further action. In a related matter, the forces emphasized that the penalty for lighting fires in undesignated areas within forests and national parks can reach a fine of 3,000 riyals, reflecting the seriousness with which all forms of environmental violations are addressed.
A call for social responsibility
The forces urged citizens and residents to report any cases that constitute an attack on the environment or wildlife, by calling the number (911) in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom, stressing that all reports will be treated with complete confidentiality and without any legal responsibility on the reporter.
