RIYADH: The Minister of Higher Education Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Angari has appointed Khalid bin Salim Aldonyawi to the position of dean at the College of Sharia & Islamic Studies at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) in Al-Ahsa. The appointment is for two years beginning Nov. 4.
Aldonyawi was working as assistant professor at the department of Arabic Language Faculty of Sharia & Islamic Studies in Al-Ahsa, according to a statement. He was congratulated by the IMSIU’s Rector Suleiman bin Abdullah Abal-Khail on his appointment and the trust bestowed on him by the ministry. Abal-Khail offered Aldonyawi advice to fear God, perform his duties in accordance with the university’s educational policy and work to achieve its objectives based on tasks entrusted to him.
Meanwhile, Abal-Khail is also sending the Vice President for Higher Studies & Scientific Research, Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalaf, to the United State of America to attend the West Lakes Division Meeting of the Association of American Geographers to be held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.
New dean appointed for college at IMSIU
New dean appointed for college at IMSIU
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.
