Saudi Arabia and several other Middle East nations are working to save the rare Arabian leopard. To that end the Saudi kingdom has just announced a conservation scholarship program aimed at saving the cats. Rare Arabian leopards are on the brink of extinction.
According to an announceen
“The Arabian Leopard Fund, in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), launched on Wednesday the Arabian Leopard Scholarship Program, which aligns with the AlUla Scholarship Program.
AlUla is an area in north west Saudi Arabia. Saudis are transforming it into a tourist destination spotlighting conservation and culture.
“The program launch event was held at the new headquarters of the Arabian Leopard Fund in Riyadh.
The program includes 50 study missions to provide the next generation of AlUla conservationists with the practical skills and knowledge they need to protect the future of the endangered Arabian leopard.
The launch of the Arabian Leopard Scholarship Program follows the first International Day of the Arabian Leopard recognized by the United Nations, which was officially celebrated on February 10.”
The rare Arabian leopard is the smallest of the extant leopard (Panthera pardus) species.
The leopards once roamed the entire Arabian Peninsula but today are mostly confined to Oman. the estimated worldwide number is about 200. Some live in Yemen. Warfare and photos of dead leopards make it extremely difficult to know their status. They may be functionally extinct in Saudi Arabia. There are believed to be less than 50 in the kingdom. It is possible there may be about 8 in Israel. Arabian Leopards (panthera pardus nimr) are shy and secretive. Males top out around 75 pounds and females about 50. By contrast, the largest Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana) can reach 130 pounds. Persian leopards are also endangered. Iran and Russia both have conservation programs in place. Persian leopards may number fewer than 1,000 in the wild.