UN recognition of Arabian Leopard Day a ‘major triumph for KSA,’ conservationist says

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Panthera and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement in 2019 to protect the Arabian leopard, which is said to be "the most persecuted of all the big cats” in the world. (Photo courtesy of Arabian Leopard Breeding Center)
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Updated 23 June 2023
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UN recognition of Arabian Leopard Day a ‘major triumph for KSA,’ conservationist says

  • Panthera co-founder Thomas Kaplan told Arab News the resolution will boost the work of wildlife champions worldwide, as well as those in the Kingdom
  • The Arabian Leopard has been etched into Saudi consciousness for thousands of years, he said, but is the most persecuted of all big cats and critically endangered

NEW YORK CITY: When the UN General Assembly voted this month to adopt a resolution designating Feb. 10 as International Day of the Arabian Leopard, Thomas S. Kaplan’s reaction was one of “absolute delight.”

The leopard has been etched into Saudi consciousness for thousands of years, he said, with the petroglyphs on AlUla’s ancient walls that depict the animal bearing witness to its significance to the Saudi people and their ancestors.
Having the importance of the Arabian Leopard now finally enshrined by the UN General Assembly is therefore “a major triumph for the Saudi people and for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself,” Kaplan added during an exclusive interview with Arab News.
As co-founder of Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, and founder and chairperson of the Global Alliance for Wild Cats, Kaplan in 2019 signed an agreement with Prince Badr bin Abdullah, the Saudi minister of culture and governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, to support regional and international conservation initiatives, at the heart of which is the Arabian Leopard Initiative to protect the critically endangered animal, which is indigenous to AlUla.




Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Saudi minister of culture and governor of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, signing the cooperation agreement with Panthera Chairman Thomas Kaplan in AlUla in June 2019. (Supplied/File)


“The Arabian leopard is the most persecuted of all the big cats,” Kaplan said. “So having a champion like Saudi Arabia helping us to do the work that we do so passionately is really a gift from God.”

The UN resolution enshrining an International Day of the Arabian Leopard is “a clear win, both for the leopard and for the Kingdom,” he added.
“It is in many respects a beautiful affirmation of one of the most ambitious environmental and conservation initiatives in generations: The restoration of AlUla as a cultural center point for the new Saudi Arabia is complemented by one of the most significant environmental restoration programs in the world.”
Wild cats play a critical role in ecosystems. They are considered an “umbrella species” when making conservation-related decisions, because efforts to protect them also indirectly protect many other species. They represent “Apex Predator Strategy Opportunities.” What this means is that a thriving wild cat population can help ensure the survival of its entire habitat.
Even the human population can benefit when the animals thrive, because they help boost tourism and shine a light on local communities. In the case of Saudi Arabia, such communities can become important parts of the Kingdom’s broader development agenda, leading to better local amenities and opportunities.




The UN recognition of the animal’s importance will help boost the efforts of conservationists to save the leopard, says Panthera Chairman Thomas Kaplan. (Courtesy of Matthew Carasella Photography)

“In places where we have gone in to save leopards or jaguars or other animals that are part of the local tourist industry, we have always brought with (us) increased medical attention, building schools, building clinics, (showing) the local communities that not only do they have nothing to fear, but they have everything to gain by a thriving cat population, (and that) because of the leopard, there will be socioeconomic opportunities for their children,” said Kaplan.
“If in its own way the Arabian Leopard Initiative is something that not only gives people national pride, but gives those who live in the same habitat as the leopard even greater opportunities for their children, then this is a huge win.

“So the success of the Arabian Leopard Initiative becomes a signal to the Kingdom, and to the rest of the world, that Saudi Arabia has been successful in restoring the landscape. For these reasons, I believe that AlUla is one of the most transformational initiatives in the preservation of cultural and environmental heritage for future generations.”
None of this would have been possible, he said, without “the passion and commitment” of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; Prince Badr; and Princess Reema bint Salman, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the US.
“The revolution from above that has been implemented by the crown prince is the catalyst for all (the reforms that) followed, and the Arabian leopard is no exception,” said Kaplan.
“I have personal experience in engaging with the Crown Prince on the Arabian leopard and leopard conservation globally. He is truly committed not only to the Arabian leopard but also to advancing the cause of leopard conservation in other countries that are not necessarily playing catch-up like Saudi Arabia, but trying to stay ahead of the curve.
Regarding Prince Badr’s role, Kaplan said “everyone knows that (he is) the initiator of the Arabian leopard process. He is, in many respects, the father of the Arabian leopard program, for which I think he will go down in the history books.”
Kaplan also had nothing but praise of Princess Reema.




Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi ambassador to US, founded Catmosphere, a group dedicated to supporting big cat species worldwide. (AN file photo)


“Anyone who has come into contact with Princess Reema in Washington DC, or elsewhere, immediately is presented with the passion of what the Arabian leopard means for the Kingdom,” he said.
“It’s not simply because the Arabian leopard is, in my mind, to Saudi Arabia what the panda is to China, an instrument of soft power, it’s much more than that.
“The crown prince, Prince Badr and Princess Reema understand that the Arabian leopard is a symbol of national unity for Saudi Arabia. It is something that goes back thousands of years.”
The UN recognition of the animal’s importance will help boost the efforts of conservationists to save the leopard, Kaplan said.
“Being able to show the buy in of the international community allows us the freedom to show to environmental activists all over the world the significance of this initiative,” he added.
“It allows us to be able to evidence that the reintroduction of the Arabian leopard is real, that it has the full support of Saudi Arabia, that it is not some form of power exercise but it’s the product of passion.
“This in turn allows people such as myself on the international stage to be able to recruit the highest-quality experts to work with us in our field.”

Kaplan said the UN resolution will also aid the work of Saudi environmental and wildlife champions, including Catmosphere, a foundation established by Princess Reema to assist big-cat conservation efforts worldwide.


READ MORE: Saudi-led Catmosphere’s inaugural Catwalk raises awareness about wildlife conservation



“Catmosphere has the potential to be the most important cat-conservation awareness program ever undertaken, not simply in the Middle East, but globally, and that was originated by a Saudi, by Princess Reema,” he said.

“It’s an extraordinary story. The impact that it can have on cat conservation is very obvious but, at the same time, the impact that can have on our agenda, which is to get people to see the Arabian Leopard as being Saudi Arabia’s panda, as being a symbol of commitment to the best practices in wildlife conservation, this is absolutely enormous.”
“When you combine the work that Prince Badr is doing at the Royal Commission of AlUla with the work of Catmosphere, what you see is an organic, Saudi-generated initiative and campaign to save the Arabian leopard and, as the crown prince asked us to do, to be able to help countries around the world save their leopards, so that rather than playing catch-up, they’re getting ahead of the curve, and are not in the same situation.
“This is an act of generosity to the world, and it’s coming from Saudi Arabia.”

 

Rewilding Arabia
Return of the leopard is at the heart of plans to conserve and regenerate Saudi Arabia’s landscapes and wildlife

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Saudi interior minister inspects Hajj preparedness at holy sites

Updated 59 min 26 sec ago
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Saudi interior minister inspects Hajj preparedness at holy sites

RIYADH: Saudi interior minister conducted a field tour on Wednesday to inspect the readiness of the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah (Holy Sites) Metro Line as pilgrims move to the holy site of Arafat.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, who also heads the Supreme Hajj Committee, was briefed on the mechanisms of dispatching and scheduling train trips, in full integration with the relevant security and regulatory authorities, ensuring smooth operations and the safety of pilgrims the Saudi Press Agency said.

The minister boarded a train ride to the Mina 3 (Jamarat) Station, where he inspected the station’s readiness and facilities to receive pilgrims. 

The metro line is a high-capacity rail system in Makkah that operates for only seven days a year, during Hajj, as a shuttle service to take pilgrims to and from holy sites. It has a capacity of up to 72,000 passengers per hour. 

Prince Abdulaziz also visited the Facilities Security Forces, who regulate pedestrian movement and crowd management in the areas surrounding the metro stations, and was briefed on the forces’ plans and role in supporting and assisting the Hajj Security Forces. 


Saudi Press Agency launches Saudi Photo Platform to expand global access to visual archive

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi Press Agency launches Saudi Photo Platform to expand global access to visual archive

  • Was unveiled during second edition of the Hajj Media Forum

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of media and chairman of the Saudi Press Agency, Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari, on Wednesday launched the Saudi Photo Platform, a new digital initiative designed to offer free access to SPA’s vast archive of authenticated images.

Unveiled during the second edition of the Hajj Media Forum at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Exhibition and Events Center, the platform will allow users worldwide to browse, use, and share images under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

The forum was attended by local and international media representatives.

Acting SPA President Ali bin Abdullah Al-Zaid said the platform reflected its strategy to make its visual archive more widely available to content creators around the globe, while preserving intellectual property rights and promoting creativity in a regulated digital environment.

He added that launching the platform from Makkah held symbolic significance, reinforcing the city’s historic role in conveying Saudi Arabia’s message to the world, and said it marked an important step toward enhancing the Kingdom’s visual presence in the digital space.

The Saudi Photo Platform, which can be reached on cc.spa.gov.sa, features high-resolution images, sorted by category and accompanied by detailed metadata, including event descriptions and publication dates.

The archive is continuously updated to document key national and international events, and the site is fully supported in both Arabic and English.

The initiative is part of SPA’s broader digital transformation agenda, aimed at modernizing publishing tools and fostering new partnerships with media outlets and online users worldwide, it said.


How NEOM is rewilding Saudi Arabia and reviving ancient falconry traditions

Updated 17 min 37 sec ago
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How NEOM is rewilding Saudi Arabia and reviving ancient falconry traditions

  • NEOM is combining heritage and science to protect biodiversity in one of Saudi Arabia’s most diverse landscapes
  • Falcons are returning to the wild thanks to efforts to revive their natural habitat and bolster their numbers

RIYADH: As the world marks World Environment Day, a global celebration of nature and a call to protect our planet, attention turns to an ecological transformation taking place in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

NEOM, the Kingdom’s futuristic megacity project, is rapidly becoming a haven for biodiversity — and at the heart of this effort is a renewed commitment to falcon conservation.

Under the banner of the Hadad Program, NEOM is working in partnership with the Saudi Falcons Club and other national entities to reintroduce native falcon species to the Arabian Peninsula, rebuild local ecosystems, and revive an ancient cultural tradition.

Under the Hadad program, NEOM, the Saudi Falcons Club have successfully released eight pairs of the very rare barbary falcon in NEOM's Nature Reserce.  (Supplied)

The work being done in NEOM is about more than saving birds; it is about restoring balance to a landscape often misunderstood as barren and bringing nature back to the center of modern development.

Since 1973, June 5 has been observed as World Environment Day. Led by the UN Environment Programme, it serves as a platform to raise awareness and prompt action on pressing environmental issues from climate change and pollution to biodiversity loss.

Announced in 2017 as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, NEOM is a $500 billion mega-project designed to reshape the future of urban living, sustainability and technology.

FASTFACT

• World Environment Day, held on June 5 since 1973, raises awareness on global issues like climate change and biodiversity loss.

Encompassing 26,500 square kilometers of mountains, desert, and coastline along the Red Sea, NEOM’s planners aim to build a zero-emission, high-tech region powered entirely by renewable energy.

Yet beyond the cities of the future lies a growing commitment to the past — particularly in preserving and restoring the Kingdom’s natural heritage.

This photo taken on April 19, 2024 shows Tarek Qaddumi (R), executive director of the Saudi Arabia mega-project NEOM, giving a briefing on NEOM sites at a visual culture exhibition in Hong Kong. (AFP/File)

“People tend to assume that this part of the world is an empty desert, but NEOM is stunning for its habitat diversity,” Paul Marshall, head of nature conservation at NEOM, told Arab News.

Indeed, NEOM’s terrain is anything but barren, from mountain peaks reaching 2,600 meters above sea level to oceanic depths plummeting 1.5 kilometers. In between are red sand deserts, canyons and caves, and spectacular shores with crystal-clear waters and coral reefs.

This biologically rich region is home to creatures great and small: from hyrax, ibex and oryx to hedgehogs, gazelles and a wide variety of birds and insects.

“From those plants we have insects and mammals. Then, we have the large mammals, of course,” Marshall said.

Paul Marshall, head of nature conservation at NEOM. (Supplied)

Before human encroachment, the region was even home to apex predators such as cheetahs, lynx and leopards. Now, through conservation, NEOM is seeking to recreate conditions that allow such species to return.

“For all of our biodiversity, it is still a fundamentally arid ecosystem,” he said. “The species here have adapted to survive with very low rainfall and because of that, they are able to thrive despite the conditions.”

The Hadad Program supports NEOM’s rewilding strategy by reintroducing native falcon species, most notably the lanner and barbary falcons. “This is a really exciting program,” Marshall said. “It is one of many programs we are doing to restore the full ecosystem in the NEOM area.”

NEOM and the Saudi Falcons Club signed a strategic partnership to enhance falcon habitats within NEOM's Nature Reserve during the Hadad Annual Meeting in November 2024. (SPA/File)

Despite the climatic conditions, several types of plants were able to grow and uniquely adapt to different parts of NEOM’s ecosystem.

“From those plants we have insects and mammals. Then, we have the large mammals, of course,” he said.

He added: “This is a really exciting program. It is one of many programs we are doing to restore the full ecosystem in the NEOM area.”

Falcons used to be widespread throughout the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. But, through a combination of hunting and capturing for sports, in many places, Marshall said, that these animals are hard to find. Today, efforts are underway to bring them back.

Under a partnership between NEOM and the Saudi Falcons, authorities hope to see native falcon species throughout the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. (NEOM photo)

With the rich habitat and the efforts to safeguard the falcons, they are creating an environment where the species can be released with the best chances of survival.

They successfully released eight pairs of barbary falcons, which are a very rare type; very few of them are left in the wild.

“We are committed to caring for falcons as a cultural and historical heritage and supporting all related activities through a set of regulations and organizational frameworks adopted by the club,” Talal Abdulaziz AlShammisi, CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, told Arab News.

“This includes promoting and preserving falconry heritage, organizing falcon auctions, collaborating with universities, colleges, research centers and health institutions to conduct falcon-related studies and scientific research.”

Talal Abdulaziz AlShammisi, CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club 

Falconry is not just a pastime in Saudi Arabia; it is a centuries-old tradition deeply woven into the fabric of national identity.

“Falconry has been practiced by our ancestors across the deserts of the Kingdom for centuries and today the country is home to thousands of falcons and passionate falconers,” said AlShammisi.

“Local species such as the lanner falcon and the barbary falcon are native to the Saudi environment and hold significant ecological value as essential components of environmental balance.”

The barbary falcon, once on the brink of extinction in parts of the Arabian Peninsula, is now making a comeback. Thanks to the Hadad Program’s careful release, rehabilitation and monitoring strategies, the birds are beginning to reclaim their place in Saudi skies.

The initiative’s success is underpinned by a network of partnerships.

FASTFACT

26,500

Area (square kilometers) of NEOM spanning mountains, desert and Red Sea coastline.

NEOM is working with the Saudi National Center for Wildlife, the Saudi Falcon Club and the Special Forces for Environmental Security to monitor these falcons, to protect them and give them not only the best chances of survival but appearing and breeding.

Soon, the first new generation of barbary falcons is expected to hatch in NEOM.

While falcons are among the stars of NEOM’s rewilding efforts, the program goes much further. More than 1,100 animals once absent from the region — including oryx, ibex, mountain gazelles and sand gazelles — have been reintroduced to help restore a natural ecological balance.

More than 1,100 animals once absent from the region — including oryx, ibex, mountain gazelles and sand gazelles — have been reintroduced by Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife to help restore a natural ecological balance. (SPA photos)

The reintroduction of different species of animals is not only a victory for biodiversity but also a chance to restore natural food chains and ecological interactions that sustained this environment for millennia.

With plans to extend across 95 percent of megacity project’s total land area, the NEOM Nature Reserve represents one of the most ambitious conservation zones in the world.

Through projects such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, the Kingdom aims to plant billions of trees, reduce emissions, and protect vast swaths of land and sea.

As World Environment Day shines a spotlight on the urgent need to protect and restore our natural world, NEOM stands as a compelling example of how large-scale development and ecological stewardship can go hand in hand.
 

 


Saudi minister conducts field tour of Makkah’s holy sites

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi minister conducts field tour of Makkah’s holy sites

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah conducted a field tour of the holy sites to inspect camp readiness and facilities ahead of pilgrims’ move to Arafat on Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He emphasized the need for coordination across entities and adherence to high operational standards.

Al-Rabiah also reviewed accommodation, logistics and the integration of health, technical and support services to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage.


Saudi authorities launch self-help e-book to guide Hajj pilgrims to perform rituals correctly

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi authorities launch self-help e-book to guide Hajj pilgrims to perform rituals correctly

  • Pilgrims can use their smartphones to tap on a download point, select their preferred language, and upload the guide to their devices

MAKKAH: Saudi authorities have launched a self-help e-book in various languages to guide and teach pilgrims about Hajj and Umrah rituals in order to perform them in accordance with Islamic rules.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance said the smart rituals guide is available in various locations in Makkah and Madinah, and other holy sites.

Pilgrims can use their smartphones to tap on a download point, select their preferred language, and upload the guide to their devices, the ministry added.

The initiative is part of several educational programs launched in the past weeks by the ministry to help over 1.25 million pilgrims currently undertaking Hajj perform their once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage correctly.

Saudi authorities, including health, logistical, and security sectors, have deployed cutting-edge technologies for this Hajj season, including drones to deliver medicines and artificial intelligence to safeguard and serve Muslim pilgrims.