Four Arrested for Illegal Hunting at Royal Reserve

Four Saudi citizens were arrested in August 2026 after being caught hunting 15 wild animals inside King Salman Royal Reserve without a hunting license, using two air rifles. Field patrols of the Special Forces for Environmental Security stopped the group on-site and referred them to the competent authorities.

Officers seized the weapons and the hunted animals, documented the violation, and completed the initial legal procedures before the case was handed over for further action.

What the penalties look like

Under the current executive regulation for hunting terrestrial wildlife, first-time violations carry standard administrative fines. Hunting without a license is set at 10,000 SAR, while hunting in prohibited places — including protected reserves such as King Salman Royal Reserve — carries 5,000 SAR. Hunting during prohibited seasons also draws 5,000 SAR.

Additional per-species fines may be applied depending on what is hunted. Penalties can be doubled for prohibited or endangered species, and the most serious cases are assessed individually and can reach between 100,000 and 1,000,000 SAR. For comparison, hunting a desert hare is fined at 18,000 SAR using a shotgun carries a 100,000 SAR fine, and using bird-attracting electronic devices carries 50,000 SAR. Simply entering a protected reserve without authorization can be penalized with 5,000 SAR, even without any hunting.

The case underscores a wider push to protect the Kingdom's natural reserves and native wildlife. Authorities have increased field patrols and enforcement across protected areas, and residents and visitors are reminded that hunting is not permitted inside royal reserves and that entry requires proper authorization.

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