RIYADH: The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has welcomed 40 women and 26 men to its fifth ranger corps.
They were recruited from local communities following their successful graduation from the reserve’s nine-week training program, and will join the existing ranger team of 180 to help in conservation work.
Andrew Zaloumis, the CEO at the reserve, said the rangers were pivotal in helping achieve the body’s mission.
Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, signs the new rangers’ contracts at the reserve’s head office in the historic Al Wajh Castle. (Supplied)
He said: “These local people, from across the reserve, know its land, its flora and fauna and its communities. They are the natural guardians of the Kingdom’s rich natural and cultural heritage.”
The reserve received 18,000 applications and candidates underwent written and physical tests and multiple interviews to win a coveted place on the ranger training program.
Run by Ali Al-Balawi, the nine-week program provides the skills required to join the ranger corps.
Modules include conservation management, data collection, patrolling, cultural heritage management, tracking, fitness, self-defense, first aid and 4x4 driving.
Rangers at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve test teamwork skills. (Supplied)
Al-Balawi said: “I take great pride in training rangers from the local community at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Reserve.
“When the protector comes from the same place, there is a profound sense of responsibility towards the nature they know and cherish, making them more capable of protecting and conserving it.
“These rangers are not just trained to perform specific tasks — they are true ambassadors of nature, and I am honored to be part of fostering this spirit that connects people to their land and their role in conserving it for future generations.”
The 66 new recruits will join the 180-strong ranger force, working alongside the Special Forces for Environmental Security and the Border Guard to safeguard the natural and cultural assets of the reserve — both on land and at sea.
Their duties will include ecological monitoring to inform conservation strategies; supporting animal reintroductions; managing wildlife populations; and overseeing development projects to ensure compliance with environmental and social impact assessments.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is home to the Middle East’s first female ranger corps. Of the 246 rangers, 34 percent are women.
Rangers learn to track under the guidance of international experts. (Supplied)
The objectives of the royal reserves are to support the Kingdom’s efforts in sustainability and environmental conservation, contributing to the Saudi Green Initiative’s goal of protecting 30 percent of the Kingdom’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030.
One of eight royal reserves, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve stretches from the lava plains of the Harrats to the Red Sea in the west, connecting NEOM, Red Sea Global, and AlUla. It is home to PIF’s Wadi Al-Disah project and Red Sea Global’s destination AMAALA.
The reserve includes 15 distinct ecosystems. At just 1 percent of the Kingdom’s terrestrial area and 1.8 percent of its marine area, it boasts over 50 percent of the Kingdom’s species, making it one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the Middle East.
Map showing the area covered by the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in Tabuk province. (Google maps)
The reserve is committed to restoring and conserving the natural and cultural environment, including the reintroduction of 23 native species — including the Arabian leopard, cheetah, Arabian oryx and lappet-faced vulture — as part of a wide-ranging rewilding program.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve was established by royal decree and is overseen by the Royal Reserves Council, which is chaired by the crown prince.
Its program is integrated with Saudi Arabia’s wider sustainability and conservation schemes, including the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives.
