ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla and the Arabian Leopard Fund have partnered with the Smithsonian Institution to support international efforts to protect the animal, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
Under the agreement, the RCU will lend a pair of Arabian leopards to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
This is part of a scientific program designed to enhance conservation efforts, promote genetic diversity, and raise global awareness about this rare species, the SPA reported.
A mother Arabian leopard and a cub are seen at the RCU conservation center in AlUla. (RCU photo)
The Arabian leopard, or Panthera pardus nimr, is considered one of the world’s most endangered big cats. There are only about 120 left in the wild, including 20 confined mostly to the Kingdom’s isolated southwestern mountains of Asir and the Hijaz.
At the RCU’s wildlife conservation facility in AlUla, there were 27 Arabian leopards as of last year, a senior official of the commission was quoted as saying in a special Arab News report.
In partnering with the Smithsonian, the RCU aims to bolster its Arabian leopard breeding program and significantly “enhance the chances of survival for the critically endangered species and establishing a population outside its native habitat.”
It is hoped to drive advanced scientific research, facilitate the first exhibit for these big cats in the US, and “stimulate community support for conservation programs.”
