Keeping Wild Animals in the UAE

Wild Animals on the Loose

Several months ago when an escaped monkey or baboon was terrorizing people in the backyards of Fujairah’s suburb of Faseel the question was raised about the law and the keeping of wild animals in the UAE.

The question has recently been raised again when an injured cheetah was found in the streets of Abu Dhabi.

In today’s Gulf News (1 June 2011), Abdul Rab Al Hameri, the Manager of the Scientific Authority office of CITES (Convention on the Illegal Trade of Endangered Species) in Abu Dhabi, clarified the law.

UAE Laws

Mr. Al Hameri listed three relevant federal laws:

• The law prohibiting the importing of dangerous animals
• The law related to CITES prohibiting the importing or trading of endangered animals
• The law prohibiting the ill-treatment of an animal

Ministerial Decrees

Al Hameria also spoke of relevant ministerial decrees:

• The decree prohibiting the importing of fighting dogs, poisonous snakes and dangerous animals like big cats into the UAE
• The decree prohibiting the importing of primates into the UAE

Further

See more detail on these laws and the penalties for breaking them:

Binsal Abdul Kader, Cheetah Owner Has Violated Three UAE Laws, Gulf News, 1 June 2011.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus—Facebook Page.

Image: The injured cheetah found in the streets of Abu Dhabi is soon to undergo surgery. (Image courtesy of Gulf News and the Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre).