Royal Commission for AlUla, Saudi Arabia: SAUDI ARABIA MARKS FEBRUARY 10 AS ARABIAN LEOPARD DAY WITH A SERIES OF ACTIVATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Arabian Leopard Day is formally celebrated on February 10, but this year's planned events extend before and after that date to launch the first ever Arabian Leopard Week to allow greater public participation and general awareness of the significance of the day.

The events include:

Dr. Stephen Browne, Wildlife & Natural Heritage Executive Director at RCU, said: "The Arabian Leopard is a formidable symbol of our aim to conserve and safeguard AlUla's natural environment. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that the Arabian Leopard is Critically Endangered with threats to its natural habitat highlighting the pressing need to step up conservation efforts that are so vital to the species' long-term survival. It is our ongoing commitment to mark Arabian Leopard Day and engage with activities to raise awareness of, and help to protect, these magnificent big cats."

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ranks the Arabian Leopard as Critically Endangered in the wild, a level of risk more severe than Vulnerable or Endangered. If the population continues to decline, the next stages on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are Extinct in the Wild and, lastly, Extinct.  

Safeguarding the future of the Arabian Leopard is an objective closely linked with Saudi pride and identity. As more and more people become aware of the plight of the species and its role in our shared history, support for conservation efforts has grown across the Kingdom. 

To prepare for the eventual return of Arabian Leopards to the wild, RCU has released native species of prey animals into vast nature reserves, increased efforts to track and protect wild leopards, and regenerated natural areas managed by teams of RCU-led and trained experts with the goal of restoring a lost yet essential balance to AlUla's delicate ecosystems. The return of the Arabian Leopard will be the final piece of a sensitive and complicated puzzle.

And there have been successes along the way: RCU's Arabian Leopard Breeding Programme has welcomed the births of four healthy cubs since April 2021, a major milestone and a welcome contribution to the goal of boosting the population in captivity. The naming of a cub born in 2022 as Amal – 'hope' in Arabic – symbolises the rising hopes to protect the future of the species. 

For more info on Arabian Leopard Week, February 10 – 13 2023, go to https://www.experiencealula.com/en/alula-moments/alula-arabian-leopard-week  

Noted for editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

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