How sustainable tourism can help preserve Saudi Arabia’s iconic desert wildlife 

White Oryxes in the Arabian Desert. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 04 May 2024
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How sustainable tourism can help preserve Saudi Arabia’s iconic desert wildlife 

  • With desert tourism on the rise, experts say visitors and developers have a responsibility to respect local fauna  
  • The deserts of Saudi Arabia are home to more than 4,000 animal species, many of them critically endangered

ALULA: Although Saudi Arabia is home to a wealth of ecosystems, from its coastal mangroves and coral reefs to its high-altitude forests and lush oases, the Kingdom is perhaps best known for its deserts.

However, these landscapes, which are fast becoming popular with outdoor adventurers, are home to a remarkable array of animals, which inhabited the region long before the arrival of humans.

Despite the hardiness of these animals, given the harshness of their environment, the encroachment of humans into these pristine habitats is raising concerns among conservationists.

“The rapid growth in tourist flows in recent decades has been accompanied by diversification, both geographically, and in terms of tourism segments or products,” Basmah Al-Mayman, Middle East regional director of the UN Tourism (formerly UN World Tourism Organization), told Arab News. 

“Desert destinations have shared in the benefits of this double-diversification process, making it an even more pressing priority to define a sustainable approach to tourism development in desert areas.”

As a Saudi national herself, Al-Mayman recognizes the value of the Kingdom’s precious ecosystems as a source of revenue and national pride. However, she believes the tourism industry, developers, and travelers themselves have a responsibility to act sustainably.

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“In the desert, more than anywhere, with destinations still relatively untouched by the adverse effects tourism can bring, sustainability represents a particularly critical challenge,” she said.

“The messages conveyed by UN Tourism are not only preventive in character, but also offer stakeholders at international as well as local levels the advice and tools they need to combat poverty and desertification while enabling tourism to properly play its role as a vehicle for development.”




The Nubian ibex isnow among the wildlife of Saudi Arabia. (Shutterstock)

According to UN Tourism, sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development. A balance must be established between these dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.

Sustainable tourism should therefore make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, while maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.




Falcons are among the most loved wildlife in the Kingdom. (SPA photo)

As the largest country in the Middle East, occupying more than 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is home to five distinct climatic regions. 

These biomes include coastal fog desert, the southwestern savanna foothills, the southwestern montane woodlands, the Arabian Desert, the Nubo-Sindian tropical desert, and areas of semi-desert.




Ostriches racing at a conservation center in Jeddah. (Supplied)

Extensive hunting in the 19th century resulted in the population decline of many of Saudi Arabia’s indigenous animals, including oryx, leopards, and cheetahs. The Kingdom has since imposed bans on poaching and launched breeding programs to help bolster populations.

Other wildlife found in these habitats included striped hyenas, mongoose, baboons, sand cats, and hopping desert rodents known as jerboa. Visitors willing to brave the region’s harsh temperatures may be rewarded with a glimpse of a Nubian ibex, sand gazelles, or a whole array of reptiles. 




Gazelles restin one of the wildelife conservation centers of Saudi Arabia, safe from predators and hunters. (Shutterstock)

Occupying some 25 percent of Saudi Arabia’s territory, the Rub’ Al-Khali, also known as the Empty Quarter, is anything but what its name might suggest. The world’s biggest sand desert is in fact home to a dizzying array of wildlife.

Likewise, the Kingdom’s scrublands, steppes, mangroves, volcanic fields, palm oases, and mountain ranges are teeming with creatures — nesting, hunting, feeding, and burrowing, many of them out of sight, coming out only in the cool hours of night.

DIDYOU KNOW

• 2024 was designated the Year of the Camel by the UN and Saudi Ministry of Culture.

• AlUla has made great strides in ensuring that desert tourism is eco-friendly.

• UN Tourism has put forth structured targets to support sustainable desert tourism.

• National Center for Wildlife estimates there are 4,481 endangered species in the Kingdom.

No desert animal is perhaps better recognized than the camel. It is because of its iconic status that the UN and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has designated 2024 as the “Year of the Camel.”

This year, Saudi Arabia will host several camel-centric events and organize special spaces to educate the public about these much-loved “ships of the desert.”

Just this past week, the second ever AlUla Camel Cup was celebrated in the Kingdom’s ancient northwestern region. The four-day event centered on the animal, which has become synonymous with the country’s identity. 




The camel has been the Bedouin’s best friend for centuries, as well as a loyal companion and a lifeline. (Shutterstock)

The camel has been the Bedouin’s best friend for centuries, as well as a loyal companion and a lifeline. Even the Prophet Muhammad relied on camels for transportation and as a source of food and fuel.

Camels are not the only animals getting their moment in the limelight. Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife and the Saudi Green Initiative have been working hard to ensure none of the Kingdom’s fauna is overlooked.

Assigning an animal to be championed during a specific year, month, or day has been instrumental in raising awareness about the wellbeing and conservation of the region’s distinctive species.

In 2022, the Royal Commission for AlUla launched a campaign for the recognition of “International Arabian Leopard Day.” In 2023, the UN General Assembly unanimously designated Feb. 10 as the “International Day of the Arabian Leopard.”




Facing extinction, the Arabian leopard is one of the wildlife species at the center of the Kingdom's animal conservation program. (Royal Commission of AlUla photo)

The Arabian leopard once enjoyed a range stretching across a large swathe of the Arabian Peninsula, from southern Jordan to Yemen. 

But, after years of human encroachment on its habitat, resulting in the depletion of its natural prey, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the big cat as a critically endangered species.

Saudi Arabia has long been at the forefront of animal conservation, with the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammad Royal Reserve Development Authority reintroducing more than 220 endangered species into the wild in the Kingdom’s royal reserves over the past five seasons. 




More than 220 endangered animal species have been reintroduced to the wild in Saudi royal reserves over the past three years. (SPA)

Much of this has been done in tandem with sustainable tourism initiatives, designed to protect the Kingdom’s ecosystems, while providing jobs, services, and prosperity to local communities.

For instance, in the ancient deserts of northwest Saudi Arabia, framed by curious rock formations with their dramatic silhouettes, the lush green oasis of AlUla has been continuously occupied by humans since before the 12th century.

Throughout that time, animals have been vital to the area and to the livelihoods of its human residents.

In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the Royal Commission for AlUla has launched an initiative to rehabilitate 65,000 hectares of degraded land, activating the space and resurrecting the harmony between humans and nature — an organic partnership that has defined the region for millennia.




The lush green oasis of AlUla has been continuously occupied by humans since before the 12th century. (RCU photo)

Besides AlUla, nearly every other desert space in the Kingdom has introduced curated tours that mindfully lead humans into the wilderness with the intention of enjoying, honoring, and respecting the animals that live there. 

The Kingdom has made significant strides in ensuring that its animals continue to flourish in a rapidly changing world and a nation that aims to become a major tourism magnet in the years to come.

But with more people, vehicles, and infrastructure coming to the desert, it is a collective responsibility to ensure visitors do so without disturbing these precious ecosystems and their animal inhabitants.
 

 

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 defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

Updated 22 November 2024
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Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

  • Discussions focused on bolstering cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Sweden

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met Johan Stuart, minister of state at the Swedish Prime Minister’s office, in Riyadh on Thursday.

They discussed ways in which relations and cooperation between their countries might be enhanced, along with other issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Other Saudi officials present during the discussions included Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of the general staff of the Kingdom’s armed forces, and Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, director general of the defense minister’s office.

The Swedish minister was accompanied by a delegation that included Bjorn Kalvakov, charge d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh, and Sophie Becker, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa department at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

Updated 22 November 2024
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Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

JEDDAH: The Italian Consulate General in Jeddah hosted on Wednesday night a unique event celebrating the richness and uniqueness of Italian products and flavors on the occasion of the ninth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. 

The event is being celebrated all over the globe from Nov. 16-22 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as part of their drive to promote the beauty and quality of Italian gastronomy.

Leonardo Costa, the Italian consul general in Jeddah, said: “We are glad to hold this Italian food street festival in the framework of the 9th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrating Italian food culture. The theme for this year’s events is ‘Mediterranean Diet: Traditional Cuisine and Healthy Food,’ which is not a list of healthy food but a lifestyle.”

He added: “All the communities of the Mediterranean Sea share the same idea of hospitality and friendship. All concepts that fully applied to the great generosity and hospitality to the Saudi people and their way of conceiving food.”

Held at Al-Basateen Compound, the Italian Consulate General in Jeddah set up an elaborate street food scene around the pool area, ranging from big local Italian brands from shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Jeddah with the attendance of guests drawn from the diplomatic corps, journalists, Italian expatriates, Saudi guests, the business community, and other selected food enthusiasts.

The festival contained multiple food stalls displayed by the sponsors and participants such as Danub, Lallo restaurant, Assila hotel, Margherita KSA, Montana water by Sharbatly, Ferrero, Loacker, and other brands, where everyone showcased different distinctive Italian delicacies.

Music was also played for the guests by DJ Ahmed Can.

Saudi businessman Mohammed Al-Zahrani — who became fascinated by Italian coffee during his visits to Catanzaro, the capital of the Calabria region in Italy, is the founder of Dell’Oro Store. He told Arab News how he turned his passion into a business.

“I am glad to be part of the ninth Week of Italian Cuisine in the World for the first time, and I am here to promote our coffee,” he added.


Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

Updated 21 November 2024
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Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

  • World-class pilot soars high at Sand & Fun event

RIYADH: A Spanish world-class powered aerobatic pilot on Tuesday put on a thrilling aerobatic display filled with loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs at the Sand & Fun event at Al-Thumamah airport, Riyadh. 

Organized by the Saudi General Aviation, the event runs from Nov. 19-23. 

Castor Fantoba’s performance was one of 10 SkyVentures at Sand & Fun’s series of airshows.

In a sitdown interview with Arab News, Fantoba described how his passion for aviation began and what it takes to become a world-class aerobatic pilot. 

As a child, Fantoba lived in the Spanish region of Navarra, where he watched small planes flying in the sky.

“Every child is looking into the blue ... Near my village there was an older field and eventually there were small planes doing tours and I was always stuck to the glass of the car, looking into the window trying to see if there was something around. I think it was that simple thing that marked my life.”

After secondary school, Fantoba developed a deeper admiration for aviation, which led to him pursuing a career as an engineer. 

Fantoba graduated as an aeronautical engineer and gained his extensive flying experience in areas such as aerial advertising, skywriting, crop-dusting and water-bombing.

He then decided to take a different route and become a pilot, after working for several years in aircraft maintenance. 

Today, Fantoba is an airline captain qualified to fly Boeing 737, 757 and 767s, powered aerobatics in the world-renowned Sukhoi Su-26M and is also a certified flight instructor for ultralight motorized gliders, private pilot licence training, and powered aerobatics.

To prepare for his airshows, Fantoba has a precise regimen of physical training and technical training coached by retired pilot and former member of the Soviet and Russian national aerobatic team, Nikolai Nikituk, who is widely recognized as one of the best pilots in the history of aerobatics. 

“He (Nikituk) is the one who is pushing us and modeling us to arrive at that point in which we will compete and try to win.”

During airshows, pilots take turns performing and on some days the wind could work against them. In moments like those, endurance is key, a practice taught by Nikituk.

“If you control your stress, you get focused and you don’t get nervous and lose energy.” 

Aerobatic pilots draw geometrical figures in the sky using a unique composition of sequences. When performing advanced aerial maneuvers, pilots can experience a range of gravitational forces.

Aerobatic pilots are trained to handle these forces by tensing their muscles to maintain blood flow to the brain and avoid blacking out.

Fantoba said dealing with negative Gz force, when pushing a plane over into a dive, took him 10 years of practice to perfect it. 

“After 10 years of training, (previously) I was not able to get the good rotation or transition, but this year I got it so this for me is the most satisfying.”

To avoid problems in equilibrium, prevent dizziness and fade-out, Fantoba said a lot mental focus, physical conditioning, and training are required. 

“You need to do exactly what you are told to do in a sequence. A sequence is composed of about 14 figures that are very complex with rotations in all directions.” 

Fantoba spoke of an experience when he blacked out during a positive Gz flight. “I remember I was beginning a training camp and I was really relaxed during the beginning of the season ... I was not pushing my body … I remember I was going up and then a voice was calling me ‘Castor, do you hear me?’ (on the radio) and I saw all blue and suddenly realized I was flying.”

Pilots begin with 10 points and lose 1 point per 5 degrees of deviation, so precision is vital to a successful airshow. Pilots usually score an average five points, but Fantoba’s attention to detail allowed him to score 8.3 points in the previous World Championship. 

Fantoba encourages individuals to try flying. “With normal health, you can fly ... you have fantastic aircraft here in Saudi Arabia … call them (organizations) and ask them ‘how can I become a pilot?’ It’s easy and you will discover an absolute new world.”

“Aerobatics and generally all air sports, it does not matter if you are a man or woman, it’s based on skill … in aerobatics we do not have separation.”

Fantoba has numerous achievements to his credit. 

He was a runner-up in the 2022 World Team Championship, runner-up in freestyle at the 2019 World Championship; three bronze medals at the 2017 World Cup; double bronze medal in the 2015 World Cup, bronze medal in Classic and Freestyle in the 2016 European Championship, Absolute European Champion 2014, and nine times Absolute Spanish Champion.

He has been officially recognized as a high level athlete by the Higher Sports Council since 2005. He has bagged more than 50 medals in his sporting career, six medals in a single top-category competition (European Aerobatic Championships 2014). He has won 30 FAI (world governing body for air sports) medals, including six golds.


Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

Updated 21 November 2024
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Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

JAZAN: Authorities in Jazan arrested a citizen for transporting nine border security violators of Yemeni and Ethiopian nationalities. Legal procedures were carried out, and the violators were handed over to the authorities before being transferred to the Public Prosecution.

Authorities have warned that anyone who facilitates the entry of border security violators into the Kingdom, transports them, provides them with shelter, or offers any form of assistance or service, will face severe penalties. These include imprisonment of up to 15 years, fines of up to SR1 million ($266,318), confiscation of any vehicles or properties used in the offense, and public defamation.

Meanwhile, while enforcing environmental regulations in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, field patrols of the Special Forces for Environmental Security arrested a man for illegal hunting in a prohibited area. He was found with an air rifle and three trapped wild animals. Legal measures were taken, and he was referred to the authorities for further action.


Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

Updated 21 November 2024
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Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

RIYADH: Workshops arranged by Ehsan, the national platform for charitable work, are helping empower non-profit organizations.

The initiative will ensure leaders keep pace with the governance of charitable work, with sessions aimed at developing methods to plan and implement projects.

The events are part of Ehsan’s efforts to increase the knowledge and develop the work of its non-governmental partner organizations. They align with its vision of maximizing the impact of projects, developing technical solutions, strengthening partnerships and empowering the non-profit sector.

The first workshops were launched in the Hail, Al-Jouf, Central and Asir regions, and Jeddah Governorate. More than 500 non-governmental organizations took part.