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Obama Family Dog BO, a 'Constant, Gentle Presence', Dies

President Barack Obama (L) presents the first family's new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn next to his family at the White House in Washington April 14, 2009. With Obama are daughter Sasha (2nd L) and Malia and first lady Michelle Obama. REUTERS/Larry Downing
President Barack Obama (L) presents the first family's new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn next to his family at the White House in Washington April 14, 2009. With Obama are daughter Sasha (2nd L) and Malia and first lady Michelle Obama. REUTERS/Larry Downing
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Obama Family Dog BO, a 'Constant, Gentle Presence', Dies

President Barack Obama (L) presents the first family's new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn next to his family at the White House in Washington April 14, 2009. With Obama are daughter Sasha (2nd L) and Malia and first lady Michelle Obama. REUTERS/Larry Downing
President Barack Obama (L) presents the first family's new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn next to his family at the White House in Washington April 14, 2009. With Obama are daughter Sasha (2nd L) and Malia and first lady Michelle Obama. REUTERS/Larry Downing

Former US President Barack Obama's family dog Bo, a male Portuguese Water Dog with a mop of black and white fur who became a familiar playful sight around the White House, has died.

Obama announced the death late on Saturday, saying the dog had been "a constant, gentle presence in our lives - happy to see us on our good days, our bad days and everyday in between".

"We will miss him dearly," he said on Twitter.

His wife Michelle Obama said in a separate tweet that Bo, 12, had been suffering from cancer.

Bo came to the White House in 2009 soon after the start of Obama's first term and was joined a few years later by a female of the same breed called Sunny.

Obama, who left office in 2017, praised Bo's calm demeanor in the White House, saying the dog "had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair."

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KAUST Study: More Large Mammals Roamed Arabian Peninsula than Previously Thought

According to KAUST, the study serves as a key scientific reference supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. SPA
According to KAUST, the study serves as a key scientific reference supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. SPA
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KAUST Study: More Large Mammals Roamed Arabian Peninsula than Previously Thought

According to KAUST, the study serves as a key scientific reference supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. SPA
According to KAUST, the study serves as a key scientific reference supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. SPA

A new study by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), published in the Journal of Biogeography, has identified 15 large mammal species that inhabited the Arabian Peninsula over the past 10,000 years - three times more than previously recognized.
According to KAUST, this study offers the most comprehensive list to date of large mammals from this period and establishes a benchmark for rewilding efforts in the region. It also serves as a key scientific reference supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, as well as the programs of the National Center for Wildlife (NCW) and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.
"Restoration is not just about plants, for animals play a key role in vegetation communities. In highlighting which large mammals became extinct, we are providing information that will help governments decide which mammals to reintroduce in the future,” said KAUST senior project manager and contributor to the study Christopher Clarke.
During the study, researchers analyzed thousands of petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings) collected during field expeditions as well as from shared social media content, which gave researchers access to a large collection of petroglyphs unknown to the scientific community.
The study revealed that most of the 15 mammal species come from Africa, including lions and cheetahs, and identified two species never previously recorded in the Arabian Peninsula: the greater kudu and the Somali wild donkey.
This study aligns with national efforts to restore ecological balance, particularly in light of the pioneering initiatives launched by NCW, including the reintroduction programs for the Arabian oryx and the cheetah.