The Secretariat of the Holy Capital has implemented a strict ban on feeding pigeons in Mecca and Medina, with violators facing fines of 1,000 Saudi riyals.
The new regulation, announced to protect public health and maintain environmental cleanliness in Islam’s two holiest cities.
The secretariat has established continuous monitoring programs to enforce the ban and is encouraging citizens and visitors to participate in reporting violations.
Individuals can photograph offenders and submit evidence to local police, creating a community-based enforcement system.

Officials cite concerns about disease transmission, property damage, and environmental pollution as primary reasons for the prohibition.
The initiative represents the latest in a series of measures to enhance urban quality and public health standards in the holy cities, which host millions of pilgrims annually.
Previous regulations have addressed street vending, waste management, and public behavior to preserve the sanctity and cleanliness of the religious sites.
Municipal officials emphasized that the ban particularly targets areas around the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque, where large pigeon populations have historically gathered due to public feeding.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health, Fahad Al-Jalajel, who visited the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, emphasized that the complex, established at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is creating a new environment for learning by seamlessly integrating history, science, and enlightenment in a modern format for future generations.
During his visit to the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health, Fahad Al-Jalajel, toured the museum’s exhibitions, rare manuscripts, displays on the history of Islamic civilization, the rich scholarly legacy of great Muslim scholars, and exhibitions featuring advanced digital and interactive technologies.
During the visit, the distinguished guest explored the Center’s exhibitions showcasing the centuries-long development of Islamic civilization, its traditions of science and enlightenment, the invaluable contributions of scholars from Central Asia, particularly present-day Uzbekistan, to the advancement of global knowledge, as well as the large-scale reforms being implemented in New Uzbekistan to preserve and promote the nation’s cultural heritage.
Sharing his impressions of the Center, the senior Saudi official noted that the complex, established at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, plays a significant role in presenting the rich intellectual and spiritual heritage of Islamic civilization to the international community through modern museum practices and innovative exhibition concepts.
“Seeing the history of science and enlightenment that has evolved over centuries at the Islamic Civilization Center filled me with a profound sense of pride and admiration. Here, one can witness how civilization has developed in harmony with the passage of time. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for making it possible to present this museum and its rich historical legacy to the world in a language that is accessible and understandable to all.
This Center provides the younger generation with a profound understanding of past civilizations, connects them with their own history, and demonstrates the enduring link between every historical era and today’s progress. We, your brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia, are truly delighted to witness the remarkable reforms and achievements being realized in Uzbekistan,” he said.
According to Fahad Al-Jalajel, initiatives of this kind serve as an important foundation for strengthening cultural dialogue among nations, fostering a deeper appreciation of our shared civilizational heritage, and expanding international cooperation in the fields of science and enlightenment.