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UAE Environmental / ESG LawDecree by Federal Law No. (9) of 1983 Regulating Animals and Birds Hunting

UAE Federal Decree-Law·Federal Law No. (9) of 1983

مرسوم بقانون اتحادي في شأن تنظيم صيد الطيور والحيوانات

Authoritative Arabic version per the official UAE Legislation portal

Issued Date
December 19, 1983
Effective from
January 31, 1984
Articles
5
Last synced
Sep 14, 2026
Download PDFOfficial source

Plain-language summary

  • Hunting of animals and birds in UAE requires a valid license from authorities.
  • Law sets closed seasons when hunting is prohibited to protect wildlife populations.
  • Certain species are fully protected and cannot be hunted under any circumstances.
  • Hunters must follow specific rules about methods, weapons, and hunting areas.
  • Violations carry penalties including fines and confiscation of hunting equipment.

Regulates hunting of animals and birds in the UAE, establishing rules and conditions for licensed hunting activities and wildlife protection measures.

Synced from the official UAE Legislation portal · Plain-language summary by the LEXAI editorial team

Article-level text

Key Articles

5 articles

  1. 1

    Article 1

    Article (1) Hunting, gathering or destruction of the eggs of wild and sea birds of various kinds including doves, orioles and small birds , with the exception of cormorants, are banned in the UAE.

  2. 2

    Article 2

    Article (2) It shall not be permissible to hunt the following animals: 1. Deers [antelope] of various kinds [ie gazelle. oryx}. 2. Wild Cows (sea cows or dugongs). 3. Hares. 4. Mastigures ['dhubs' or spiny tailed agamids (lizard)].

  3. 3

    Article 3

    Article (3) A. He shall be penalized every person who shall violate the regulations of this Law by imprisonment for a period that shall not exceed six months and a fine that shall not be less than one thousand dirhams, and shall not exceed five thousand Dirhams. The penalty shall be doubled in case of repeated violation.

    -- 1 of 2 --

    Decree by Federal Law No. (9) of 1983 Regulating Animals and Birds Hunting. 2 B. In all cases all weapons used for the hunting will be confiscated C. The partner shall be penalized by the same penalties decided for the original perpetrator. He shall also be penalized for attempting to commit any of the crimes stipulated upon in this Law, by the same penalty for the crime itself.

  4. 4

    Article 4

    Article (4) Every provision in violation of the regulations of this Law will be void.

  5. 5

    Article 5

    Article (5) This Law shall be published in the official gazette and shall be in force a month after the date of its publication. Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates Issued in Abu Dhabi Palace Dated: 25 Rabie Al-Awal, 1404,H., Corresponding to: 19/ December/ 1983, A.D.

    -- 2 of 2 --

Note: The Arabic text of this legislation is the authoritative version as per the official UAE Legislation portal.

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