RIYADH, 2 April 2006 — The Kingdom was awarded second prize at the Fifth International Film Festival for Environmental Protection that ended Thursday in Tunis.

Saudi Arabia’s award winning film, “Invasion of Baboons”, is a 10-minute documentary, while the first prize went to Tunisia for a 12-minute show entitled “Plastic, Pollution and Environment.” Three years ago, the Kingdom’s film, “Endangered Species” also won second prize at the second film festival.

“We are happy that we were able to make a mark in a competition with countries from Asia, Europe, Africa and Middle East,” said Khaled Al-Humeidan, the Director of Public Relations for the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) who received the award in the Tunisian capital.

The film was produced by the NCWCD and directed by Fahd Al-Otaibi, director of the audio-visual department of the commission. Humeidan added that the award-winning film in Arabic would be shown on Saudi television.

He pointed out that the film depicts the environmental damage done by thousands of baboons in some parts of the Kingdom.

“These animals are commonly seen in areas such as Taif and Abha and they destroy crops and also enter homes in order to feed themselves,” he said, pointing out that these animals come out of the wild causing an ecological imbalance in the environment.

“As a result of baboon invasions, a large number of farmers who cultivate fruit and vegetables are financially affected since they cannot reap their harvest in full.”

The film, he said, was designed to create a public awareness of the hazards of the increasing baboon population in the Kingdom.

“It causes immense environmental problems,” he noted.

The documentary advises people not to feed the baboons and also tells them not to kill wild animals such as leopards, jackals and hyenas that prey on baboons. He said the public had a role to play in the elimination of baboons.

“We could easily reduce the growing baboon population with the cooperation of the public,” he stressed. For its part, he said the NCWCD has intensified its program of sterilizing female baboons in order to reduce the numbers.