Acting on directives from Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, Egyptian environmental authorities conducted an urgent campaign to monitor and confiscate illegal wildlife trade, focusing on swans found in fish markets along Sokhna Road.
The initiative, carried out by the Suez Branch of the Environmental Affairs Agency, aimed to enforce wildlife protection laws and prevent practices that threaten bird species. The campaign successfully confiscated two swans, which were subsequently handed over to Ashotum El-Gamil Protected Area for proper care and rehabilitation before release back into their natural habitat.
Dr. Awad emphasized the importance of immediate and proper handling of wildlife, noting that authorities carried out preliminary assessments on site and coordinated with local police to ensure legal compliance. “Possession, sale, or transfer of wild birds without a license is a serious environmental offense under Article 28 of Environmental Law No. 4 of 1994,” she warned.
The Ministry of Environment continues its annual campaign against illegal wildlife trade, inspecting markets, farms, and pet shops while collaborating with environmental police and civil society organizations. The initiative also encourages the public to report any environmental violations involving endangered species to facilitate rapid response and enforcement.
