Ministry of Municipality & Environment nabs illegal hunter who posted video online

If you are doing something illegal in Qatar, then the chances are that you will be caught red handed sooner than later.

But if you grow arrogant and share videos of your illegal activities online, then the punishment will be all that much faster.

An illegal hunter, who shared a video of him in action in popular social media site Snapchat, was caught by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s (MME) Environmental Protection, Reserves and Wildlife Department, reported Gulf Times.

The offender, who was arrested, was handed over to the security department for further action before referring him for prosecution.

The violator recorded himself using an illegal bird hunting apparatus and placing it in a wild area in violation of Law No 4 for 2002 regarding regulation of hunting of wild animals including mammals, birds and reptiles.

The law sets violators a penalty of a maximum of one year in jail and a fine of QR10,000.

A ministerial decision had been issued on September 10, 2018, regulating the hunting season of migratory birds between September 1, 2018 and May 1, 2019 and that houbara bustard birds should be hunted only with falcons.

The decision had also banned the use of non-traditional methods and tools of hunting, especially bird trap apparatuses.

The decision also bans the hunting of any local wild birds and animals that have permanent habitat in the country.