JEDDAH: Ministry of Hajj and Umrah officials inspected preparations for this year’s Hajj season at the National Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims, and learnt about the services that the establishment will provide to pilgrims.
The Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdul-Fattah bin Sulaiman Mushat, and the Undersecretary of the Hajj Ministry for Hajj Affairs Dr. Hussein Al-Sharif viewed models of pilgrim accommodation, reviewed preparations made by the emergency and safety committee, and inspected the bunk beds that will be used this year as part of an initiative to improve the pilgrim experience.
The chairman of the board of directors of the establishment Dr. Raafat bin Ismail Badr and members of the board met to review the operational plan prepared by the establishment for the Hajj season and new services that aim to provide the best possible service to pilgrims.
Dr. Badr added that the establishment has been persistently following a systematic method to prepare its operational plans that are mainly based on models prepared by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and that it continuously works to develop the level of service provided to pilgrims every year in line with the care and attention that Saudi Arabia provides them with.
Hajj officials inspect preparations at the National Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims
Hajj officials inspect preparations at the National Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims
Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea
- NCW says the leatherback traveled thousands of kilometers to reach the Red Sea
- The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, some 6,500 km distant
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.
The sighting occurred approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCW confirmed that the presence of a leatherback in these waters is an exceptional event. Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It is easily identified by its unique leathery, black carapace—distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell—and its ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Noting the species' migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in search of food.
This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers away). The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers distant. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.
According to the IUCN Red List, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean. While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.
The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea. The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the potential expansion of such endangered species' ranges.
