Saudi prince retrieves most of his rare birds from Russian environmentalists

Saudi Arabian prince accused of smuggling in Russia

ASTRAKHAN, December 12 - RAPSI. Saudi Arabian Prince Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Kabeer has succeeded in reclaiming most of his rare hunting birds after Russian environmentalists demanded their seizure, an Astrakhan law enforcement source told RIA Novosti.

Most of the birds were flown out of Russia early Wednesday morning.

The source said that supervisory and law enforcement authorities found nothing illegal in the transportation of the birds.

The Federal Service for the Supervision of Natural Resources reported earlier that Saudi Arabian Prince Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Kabeer was accused of smuggling 49 falcons into Russia for hunting purposes, including 16 rare species.

The royal family arrived in Russia on a private plane to take part in a bird exhibition in Kalmykia. A scandal ensued after the service discovered that the prince had smuggled 49 falcons into the country for hunting.

Although the birds were seized, the prince was not detained due to diplomatic immunity. However, the service has notified the Foreign Ministry of the incident. The source said 25 falcons left Russia on a Saudi Arabian plane in the early hours of Wednesday, the rest remain in Kalmykia, their fate unknown at this time.

"There was a lot of confusion with the documents, that's why there was a scandal. And the rest of the birds will likely be allowed out the country as well, only later. Permission for transportation has not been issued yet," the source said.

http://rapsinews.com/news/20121212/265750485.html

Saudi princes caught illegally transporting rare falcons

Two Saudi Arabian princes have been caught illegally transporting 49 rare falcons through Russia.

Rosprirodnadzor, Russia's nature watchdog, said the falcons had been brought into the country in early November for a bird show without the necessary paperwork under CITES, the international treaty restricting trade in endangered wildlife.

Customs officials have been ordered to intercept any attempt by the two men to take the birds out of the country.

One of the two princes travelling with the falcons is reportedly Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer, the undersecretary for multilateral relations of Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry.

Falcons are prized status symbols in Saudi Arabia where they are used for hunting. Natalya Dronova of World Wildlife Fund Russia said the 49 rare birds include 33 Saker falcons, four Peregrines, and one Gyrfalcon. They were flown into Astrakhan in Russia for an avian show in the neighbouring Kalmykia region which borders the Caspian, but arrived without the necessary CITES documents from their country of origin.

Rosprirodnadzor refused permission for the birds to be returned to Saudi Arabia on November 28. A source at Russia's Foreign Ministry told reporters it had sent a diplomatic note to Saudi Arabia's embassy in Moscow after hearing on Wednesday of a planned attempt to take the 49 birds abroad.

A spokesman for Russia's customs service said the princes had not been fined and were attempting to obtain the correct paperwork to take their charges home.

The WWF said nine of the falcons had proved to be of Russian origin, suggesting they were smuggled at some point.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/9727428/Saudi-princes-caught-illegally-transporting-rare-falcons.html