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Saudi Arabia Celebrates Birth of 4 Cheetah Cubs, Unveils Ambitious Conservation Strategy

The birth of the four cheetah cubs coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy. SPA
The birth of the four cheetah cubs coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Celebrates Birth of 4 Cheetah Cubs, Unveils Ambitious Conservation Strategy

The birth of the four cheetah cubs coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy. SPA
The birth of the four cheetah cubs coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy. SPA

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has announced a major breakthrough in its Cheetah Conservation Program: the birth of four cheetah cubs, which coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy that marks a significant milestone for the initiative spearheaded by Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and NCW Board Chairman Eng. Abdulrahman AlFadley last year.

"The official launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy, and the announcement of the birth of four cheetah cubs, signifies an important achievement in our conservation efforts,”
NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban said in a statement.

“This strategy reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for wild cheetahs in their natural habitats in the Kingdom."

Qurban added that the birth of these cubs is especially momentous given the cheetah's absence from the Arabian Peninsula for over four decades.

"Our recent discovery of ancient cheetah mummies in northern Saudi Arabia underscores the region's historical role as a prime cheetah habitat," he said.
Qurban stressed the discovery will fuel the determination to reestablish cheetah populations, "guided by an integrated strategy designed in line with best international practices.”

According to the statement, "the strategy sets ambitious goals for reintroduction through successful captive breeding, strategic site selection, and community engagement in wildlife conservation.”

Rigorous monitoring after the reintroduction aims to ensure the cheetah population's sustainability.
Structured across multiple phases, the strategy's first phase focuses on breeding, habitat conservation, and environmental assessment. Subsequent phases involve experimental releases of captive-bred cheetahs and widespread reintroduction, with population monitoring.
Given the global challenge of cheetah conservation — with only 15% of wild-born cheetahs successfully breeding in captivity, and just 20% of those continuing to produce offspring — Saudi Arabia's achievement in having four cheetah cubs born and launching the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy underscores the Kingdom's commitment to biodiversity preservation, including the protection of endangered species and the ambitious goal of reintroducing previously extinct ones.

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1st Hatchling in Captivity Offers Hope for Cambodia's Endangered Black Marsh Turtle

Turtle keeper Phorn Sreymom, 42, measures a baby Black Marsh Turtle, which was successfully hatched for the first time in Cambodia from turtles rescued from a black market seller, to check its health and growth at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Chantha Lach
Turtle keeper Phorn Sreymom, 42, measures a baby Black Marsh Turtle, which was successfully hatched for the first time in Cambodia from turtles rescued from a black market seller, to check its health and growth at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Chantha Lach
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1st Hatchling in Captivity Offers Hope for Cambodia's Endangered Black Marsh Turtle

Turtle keeper Phorn Sreymom, 42, measures a baby Black Marsh Turtle, which was successfully hatched for the first time in Cambodia from turtles rescued from a black market seller, to check its health and growth at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Chantha Lach
Turtle keeper Phorn Sreymom, 42, measures a baby Black Marsh Turtle, which was successfully hatched for the first time in Cambodia from turtles rescued from a black market seller, to check its health and growth at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Chantha Lach

The first Black Marsh Turtle hatched in captivity in Cambodia is being carefully nurtured by conservationists until it can be released back into the wild as part of a plan to rebuild the population of the endangered reptile.
The baby turtle hatched in late May at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), after its parents were rescued from the black market, Reuters reported.
The tiny reptile, just 6 cm long and weighing around 40 grams, is expected to stay in the sanctuary until it is big enough to be less vulnerable to its natural predators, ACCB country director Christel Griffioen said.
"Once we get there, and it might take four-to-six years, we will then look at re-introducing this individual, or bringing this animal back to the wild," Griffioen said.
At that point, she said she hopes that trackers can be used to follow the turtle to "learn more about the ecology of the species and our plans for long term re-introduction and recovering of the species in Cambodia.”
The Black Marsh Turtle, a freshwater reptile native to Southeast Asia, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Adults typically grow to around 17-20 cm.
The population is under threat from loss of habitat and the illegal wildlife trade, sought after for both its meat and for its shell, which is used in traditional medicines.
The ACCB, based in Siem Reap province, which is also home to the Angkor Wat temple complex, currently has six adult Black Marsh Turtles and also houses 29 other endangered species.