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MEWA, NEOM Reveal Eight Unrecorded Native Plant Species in Saudi Arabia

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
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MEWA, NEOM Reveal Eight Unrecorded Native Plant Species in Saudi Arabia

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA) and NEOM have discovered eight native plant species that were not previously recorded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to a press release from MEWA.
This discovery is the result of the ‘NEOM flora program,’ a two-phased program that included a comprehensive study of the geology, soil, watershed hydrology, ecology, and topography of NEOM. The program supports NEOM’s broader commitment to protect 95% of nature and the ongoing efforts to document and restore its unique biodiversity, SPA reported.
On this occasion, MEWA Deputy Minister for Agriculture Eng. Ahmad Alayadh said: "The new plant species have been documented at the National Herbarium within the Seed Center and Plant Genetic Resources Bank in Riyadh. These species represent a significant addition to the recorded flora of Saudi Arabia."
Alayadh praised the team behind this achievement; the eight new plant species are: Bituminaria flaccida (Nábělek) Greuter, Cicer judaicum Boiss, Crambe hispanica L, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC, Hyoscyamus boveanus (Dunal) Asch & Schweinf, Muscari longipes subsp Longipes, Phagnalon nitidum Fresen, and Plantago sinaica (Barnéoud) Decne.
Head of the NEOM Nature Reserve Dr. Paul Marshall said: "The NEOM Nature Reserve is protecting and restoring NEOM's extraordinary landscape. Our nature conservation work is supported by careful planning and management in NEOM's development areas. The NEOM Flora Program is an example of this planning and underscores NEOM's commitment to regreening and rewilding its natural environment."
NEOM Landscape Architecture Senior Manager Dhiya Zaidan said: "Over the past two and a half years, this initiative has yielded remarkable results, including documenting 345 local plant species, 28 rare species, and eight new registered plant species not previously recorded in the Kingdom. This would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of our researchers and scientists on the ground."
Launched in 2021, the flora program is one of NEOM's key initiatives to document and conserve the region's natural heritage. The program helps to improve knowledge of the local vegetation and plant species found in the region. NEOM is committed to protecting 95% of its nature; a central pillar is establishing a world-class protected area.

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Buyer Splashes Out $1.3 Million for Tokyo New Year Tuna

The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
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Buyer Splashes Out $1.3 Million for Tokyo New Year Tuna

The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

The top bidder at a Tokyo fish market said they paid $1.3 million for a tuna on Sunday, the second highest price ever paid at an annual prestigious new year auction.

Michelin-starred sushi restauranteurs the Onodera Group said they paid 207 million yen for the 276-kilogram (608 pound) bluefin tuna, roughly the size and weight of a motorbike.

It is the second highest price paid at the opening auction of the year in Tokyo's main fish market since comparable data started being collected in 1999.

The powerful buyers have now paid the top price for five years straight -- winning bragging rights and a lucrative frenzy of media attention in Japan.

"The first tuna is something meant to bring in good fortune," Onodera official Shinji Nagao told reporters after the auction. "Our wish is that people will eat this and have a wonderful year."

The Onodera Group paid 114 million yen for the top tuna last year.

But the highest ever auction price was 333.6 million yen for a 278-kilogram bluefin in 2019, as the fish market was moved from its traditional Tsukiji area to a modern facility in nearby Toyosu.

The record bid was made by self-proclaimed "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura, who operates the Sushi Zanmai national restaurant chain.

During the Covid-19 pandemic the new year tunas commanded only a fraction of their usual top prices, as the public were discouraged from dining out and restaurants had limited operations.