KUWAIT CITY, Nov 15: A video circulating online showing a wolf killed by the owner of a farm in the Al-Abdali area has sparked widespread debate over how predatory animals that threaten livestock, such as sheep and horses, should be handled. Environmental activists have emphasized that the proper approach in such cases is to contact official authorities, including the General Authority for the Environment, to report the presence of these animals rather than taking matters into one’s own hands.

Environmental activist Dr. Fnees Al-Ajmi stated, “While the safety of people and livestock is always a priority, it is important to remember that wolves in Kuwait are extremely rare and nearly extinct. Ideally, the competent authorities — whether the Public Authority for the Environment or the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources — should be notified so that attempts can be made to capture the animal alive and preserve it.” He added that “retaining the animal for scientific study would have been preferable, as is done in many countries around the world under international conservation agreements.”

Dr. Al-Ajmi also stressed the importance of wildlife preservation, noting, “Countries globally take pride in protecting their wildlife and often invest millions of dollars in awareness programs to safeguard animals that maintain ecological balance. We hope that wildlife can be preserved while simultaneously ensuring the safety of livestock owners.”

Similarly, environmental activist Saad Al-Hayyan stated, “We wish that the government authorities had been informed so they could have returned the wolf to its natural habitat. Wolves are rare in the Arabian Peninsula, and I do not support killing them, as they play an important role in maintaining ecological balance.”

Article 100 of the Environmental Protection Law explicitly prohibits hunting, killing, capturing, collecting, harming, possessing, or transporting wild terrestrial and marine organisms, whether alive or dead. The law also protects the young of these organisms, their eggs, nests, and habitats. The executive regulations of the law specify which species may be hunted, in what numbers, and during which seasons and locations. Exceptions are made for scientific purposes, but only after obtaining approval from the relevant competent authorities in coordination with the General Authority for the Environment.

The incident has reignited discussions on the need for increased public awareness and enforcement of wildlife protection laws, highlighting the delicate balance between human safety and wildlife conservation in Kuwait.