TABUK: Rangers at the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve have completed their 50,000th patrol since operations began across the 24,500 sq. km marine and terrestrial conservation area, officials announced to mark World Ranger Day.
The milestone highlights the rapid growth of the reserve’s conservation corps, which has expanded over four years from 27 rangers to 231.
The team notably features the first female rangers in the Middle East. While women make up just 11 percent of rangers globally, they comprise 34 percent of the workforce at the reserve.
“Successful conservation puts communities at its heart,” Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of reserve, said.
“That’s why our rangers come from within the reserve’s borders. They have a generational connection to this land. What we have done is give that knowledge a formal role in Saudi Arabia’s conservation story.”
Together, the team has logged 400,000 hours of active conservation work, covering nearly 4 million km on foot and by vehicle to protect the reserve’s 15 fragile ecosystems.
The project expanded its reach in January 2025 with the launch of specialized marine patrol boats.
Dedicated sea rangers have since covered almost 55,000 km at sea — equivalent to patrolling the Kingdom’s Red Sea coastline 30 times — to prevent illegal fishing and monitor coastal habitats.
Seven of the reserve’s 30 sea rangers are women, the first in the Middle East, after completing a specialized swimming and training course.
The conservation efforts align with Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a global goal adopted at COP15 to protect 30 percent of land and sea by 2030.
To meet these national targets, estimates indicate the number of rangers across the Kingdom will need to grow by 46 percent. Reserve officials stated they remain committed to training and empowering this next generation of local environmental leaders.
