RIYADH: The Saudi Embassy in Albania marked the International Day of the Arabian Leopard, designated by the UN on Feb. 10.
The celebration on Monday started with a march from a lake in Tirana to the city’s zoo, followed by an official ceremony, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Faisal Ghazi Hifzi, the Saudi ambassador to Albania, said that Riyadh is committed to supporting global environmental initiatives and enhancing cooperation to protect biodiversity, SPA reported.
In 2023, the UN designated Feb. 10 as the International Day of the Arabian Leopard to preserve the endangered wild species.
Known as Panthera pardus nimr, the Arabian leopard is one of the smallest breeds of leopard. Males typically weigh between 30 and 40 kg, while females weigh between 25 and 35 kg. Their fur color is a pale orange with small, spaced spots.
In recent years, the species’ numbers have declined to nearly 200 in Oman, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. This sharp decrease in the Arabian Peninsula is attributed to habitat loss, a reduction in the availability of prey, attacks by herders, and illegal trade in wild species.
The Kingdom has been at the forefront of preserving and breeding the species at AlUla’s nature reserves in the western region.
Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has preserved and bred 14 Arabian leopards at AlUla’s nature reserves, doubling their number to 32 by 2024, SPA added.
