TAIF: The Saudi Commission for Wildlife (SCW) is hoping to raise fines for poaching in protectorates to SR50,000, and permit rangers to be armed. Prince Bandar Bin Saud, Secretary General of the SCW, said the upper fine limit is part of amendments to the new Protectorates Law, currently under consideration by the Cabinet. Speaking during a visit to the Taif Protectorate of Mahazat Al-Said Friday, Prince Bandar said that training for rangers was to be stepped up to improve monitoring and prevent poaching. The prince had released Friday 18 gazelles and 20 Red-necked Ostriches into the wilds of the Muhazat Al-Said Protectorate as part of conservation and resettlement programs, and said that the near future would see the release of rabbits. The protectorate currently contains arouwnd 350 houbara bustards and 700 gazelles as well as numerous ostriches.
