The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority, in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), has released more than 20 spiny-tailed lizards into the King Khalid Royal Reserve as part of joint programs aimed at reintroducing endangered wildlife species into their natural habitats.
The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority explained that the release aimed to boost the population of spiny-tailed lizards in the King Khalid Royal Reserve, allowing them to play their role in nature and contribute to ecological balance, amid warnings from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) about the spiny-tailed lizard being classified as an endangered species.
The authority also said that the release of the lizards is part of a wider endeavor that seeks to increase the population of endangered species in realization of the national environment conservation strategy and the Saudi Vision 2030.
The authority, in cooperation with NCW, has released several endangered species, including the Arabian sand gazelle, mountain gazelle, Arabian oryx, and Nubian ibex, among others.