The Royal Commission for AlUla announced the birth of a female Arabian leopard, saying its birth was an important step toward saving an endangered species and achieving the goal of rehabilitating local ecosystems.
In a statement released by the RCU, it announced that the baby cub was born on April 23, 2021, her gender was identified, and she underwent a medical examination on July 13th, and thus added to the group of Arabian leopards at the Prince Saud al-Faisal Wildlife Research Center, which aims to protect species threatened with extinction.
“This successful birth affirms that it is not too late to save the Arabian leopard,” said Amr Al-Madani, the CEO of the Royal Commission for Al Ula. He also emphasized the importance of saving endangered species from extinction, saying it is critical to the battle to protect the planet and restore balance in its ecosystems, which he said is among the Commission’s goals.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Arabian leopard as “critically endangered.” Its numbers in the wild have declined to fewer than 200 as a result of poaching and the loss of its natural habitat.
The Commission’s strategy for preserving the Arabian leopard includes an array of initiatives, among them the expansion of the breeding program through the establishment of the Arabian Leopard Program at the Sharaan Nature Reserve in AlUla, which operates in line with the highest and most developed international standards. The RCU has also allocated 25 Million dollars to an Arabian leopard conservation fund.
Additionally, the Commission will fortify its partnerships with conservationist and environment groups, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Panthera. All of that falls under the framework of the Saudi Green Initiative. The strategy to protect Arab leopards also includes the resettlement of wild species such as the Nubian ibex and the Idmi gazelle, in addition to training a number of AlUla “roamers” on nature preservation.
