A Royal Bustard: Saudi Prince Allowed To Kill 2,100 Endangered Birds In Pakistan

We have yet another story of a Saudi prince achieving a new level of debauchery or excess. Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud reportedly went on a little hunting trip in Pakistan but he did not want to hunt the same game as just anyone. He is a Saudi Prince and needed something that others could not have. So he obtained a permit from the Pakistani government to hunt an internationally protected bird — the houbara bustard. He was given the right to hunt for 2 days and kill up to 100 houbara bustards so he hunted for 21 days and killed some 2,100 of the protected birds. If you are wondering what type of person who relish such destruction, you might want to ask what type of government would issue a permit to such a person. The answer is two of our closest allies.

The massacre took place in Chagai, Balochistan and was arranged by Jaffar Baloch, divisional forest officer of the Balochistan forest and wildlife department, Chagai at Dalbandin. The Pakistani officials stood by as the Prince hunted from January 11, 2014 to January 31, 2014. While hunting of the birds is prohibited, the government gives permits to Saudi Royals because . . . well . . . they are Saudi Royals and if a couple thousand fewer of an endangered bird will entertain them — even briefly — it is manifestly worth it. The Prince killed a reported 1,977 birds while his party killed another 123 birds.

Saudis like to kill the birds because the meat considered an aphrodisiac.

Fahd bin Sultan is the governor of Tabuk Province since 1987 and a member of House of Saud.

Pakistani officials have been resisting demands to stop issuing permits to Arab royalty to kill the endangered birds. Local officials like the road and airport improvements ordered by the hunting parties to guarantee their smooth travel as well as the excessive spending on food and luxuries while they rough it in the wild.

Source: Daily Star