The #ArabianLeopard is a cherished part of our biodiversity and natural heritage, and on the first-ever #ArabianLeopardDay we celebrate efforts to protect these beautiful big cats and safeguard their future across their natural range.
February 10, 2022 is the first Arabian Leopard Day, one of several initiatives to help save this critically endangered species from extinction. Central to this effort is the work of the Royal Commission for Alula — Alula is the northwestern area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that’s making waves as a new eco and archeological international tourism destination.
The #ArabianLeopard is a cherished part of our biodiversity and natural heritage, on the first-ever #ArabianLeopardDay we celebrate efforts to protect these beautiful big cats and safeguard their future across its natural range.#ArabianLeopard
#arabianleopardfund@ALF_NGO pic.twitter.com/HOZhvzWXpa— SPNL (@SpnlOrg) February 10, 2022
Tetwani
In fact, “[an Arabian leopard] might be right next to you in a valley and you wouldn’t know about it. He’ll just lay there and watch you,” says Dr. Hani Tetwani, CEO of the Arabian Leopard Fund.
The Arabian Leopard Fund, whose executive management is headed by Tetwani, is cooperating with the Royal Commission for Alula to bring the Arabian Leopard back to the Kingdom. Space has been allocated in this vast area to carry out the first planned resettlement of animals from a breeding program under the auspices of Alula.
Recruiting the leopard is one of the most ambitious and complex tasks facing defenders of major predators around the world. There is also little data on the declining numbers of this animal. Tetouan openly admits that the leopard is surrounded by speculation. The number of animals, he says, remains “estimated”: when sightings are so rare, it is difficult to know just what their range is and what their lifestyle is in the wild.
But finally, cautiously, and as an experiment, the Arabian tigers will emerge from their captivity to roam the lands in and out of AlUla. The introduction of the Arabian leopard is only the salient part of a larger picture.
“For the younger generation, the Arabian leopard and other wild species should be more than just memories,” says Fahd Tetwani, CEO of the Arabian Leopard Conservation Fund.
Serhal
On the other hand, SPNL Director General and International Consultant Birdlife International Asaad Sarhal said: The Arab Leopard is a distinct species among the Leopards in Africa and Asia, being smaller, lighter in color and adapted to live in deserts. to less than 10% of its numbers in the recent past; He added that there is still hope for solidarity and joint regional action and harnessing the best energies, capabilities and programs, we will be able to return the Arab tiger to its previous era in its natural areas of spread in the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant, and the establishment of the Arab Tiger Fund is only one of the most important serious moves in the direction of restoring the Arab tiger.
Ghanem
For his part, the head of the Lebanese National Commission for the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Fadi Ghanem, praised the designation of February 10 of each year as a day for the Arab tiger, to spread awareness of preserving the Arab tiger from extinction, and to introduce the objectives of the Arab Tiger Fund.
He added: With this, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presents a distinctive model for its protection and the continuation of its reproduction. Ghanem called on all countries, especially Arab countries, to follow the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve endangered species.
He praised the efforts of the CEO of the “Arab Leopard Conservation Fund”, Dr. Hani Tetwani, for everything he does in order to preserve this important symbol in the map of biodiversity in the region and to highlight the importance of preserving it.
Arabian leopards
There are only an estimated 200 Arabian leopards remaining in the wild. They’re the rarest and smallest of the world’s eight leopard species and are thought to be found only in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen.
The Royal Commission for AlUla’s efforts to protect the critically endangered species include the creation of the Arabian Leopard Fund, partnerships with organization like the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), establishing and expanding nature reserves, providing park ranger training to AlUla residents, and creating a breeding center in the Sharaan Nature Reserve. The goal is to eventually restore Arabian leopards by reintroducing the cats back into the AlUla mountains.
You can learn more about Arabian leopards and their habitat with a visit to Alula. If you’re intrigued by the fourth century BCE ruins at Petra, Jordan, you’ll want to add the ruins at Alula to your must-visit list.
