Saudi Prince Hunt: 2000 Bustards Killed For Fun, Why Did He Do It?
During a hunt in Pakistan, a Saudi Prince was accused of killing more than 2000 endangered birds for fun.
The main English speaking newspaper in Pakistan, Dawn, recently ran the story, with the headline: “Visit of Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud regarding hunting of houbara bustard,” which outlines the three-week killing-spree safari the prince took with his entourage.
According to the report, the Saudi Prince and his hunting party killed 2,100 rare houbara bustards, with the prince himself killing the most birds, 1,977 to be precise.
The endangered birds are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List as vulnerable to extinction. Pakistan is thought to only have around 110,000 of the bustards left and they are said to be dying out at a rate of more than 30% annually.
The Saudi Prince hunt took place on unprotected land as well as in wildlife sanctuaries across Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province. The birds, which are globally protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, are subject to special hunting permits issued by the Pakistani government.
A Karachi-based animal rights activist, Naeem Sadiq, spoke to reporters about the Saudi Prince hunt. He asked: “Is there any more ridiculous reason to kill an animal? If it’s illegal for Pakistanis to kill these birds why should the Arab sheiks be allowed to do it?”
Hunting for arab royalty in Pakistan is not a new thing, and their princes and sheikhs have enjoyed many years as privileged hunters on their land. Sheikhs often use traditional means of hunting, such as falcons. The rare bustard is a favorite for them as its meat is said to have aphrodisiac-like qualities.
It goes without saying that the Saudi Prince hunt, which saw the culling of more than 2000 bustards, won’t be the last. As with most things in life the hard truth is that money talks and the influence the Saudis have over Pakistan in that regard isn’t about to change anytime soon.
