The Ministry of Municipality and Environment's Environmental Protection Reserves and Wildlife Department spotted 345 varied environmental violations in 2018. The department also issued 900 related warnings and notices as part of its efforts to protect the local environment and natural resources.
Omar Salem al-Nuaimi, director of the department, said that last year the wildlife and environment protection patrols spotted various violations such as violations of the ministerial decision no 277 for 2017 regarding banning grazing camels in the wild areas, unauthorized excavation of the soil, entry of vehicles at the wild lawns areas, pouring untreated sewage water in the open desert, transporting risky materials in unprotected vehicles, and building farms and winter camps without proper licenses among other issues.
In the meantime, he said that the department distributed and planted around 4,000 wild seedlings and conducted various cleaning campaigns of the wild area, in addition to easing various administrative transactions for the public such as issuing 1,768 certificates to import and export birds, animals and other related products, and 663 passports for falcons.
Al-Nuaimi also pointed out that the winter camping season has witnessed the registration of a great number of camps amounting to 1,121 throughout all the land area of the country.
The Mini Zoo at Al Khor Family Park has recently witnessed the birth of new zebra, which has a natural habitat in east and South Africa , informed Al-Nuaimi.
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