Saudi Gazette report

AL-ULA — The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has announced the birth of two Arabian leopard cubs, as it commences a breeding program to help preserve and eventually reintroduce the critically endangered big cat subspecies back into the wild in the northwest of the Kingdom as part of its portfolio of Arabian Leopard Initiatives (ALI).

The two cubs, one male and one female, were born on April 26 at the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Wildlife Research Center in Taif in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia. The cubs have now passed a critical developmental milestone passing 12 weeks and were recently vaccinated by veterinarians.

The successful conception and birth of the cubs is a significant moment as the RCU commences its Arabian Leopard Initiatives (ALI), aligning it with the goals and objectives of the RCU Charter to deliver a sensitive and responsible transformation of the Al-Ula region and protect its nature and wildlife.

The initial 12-week period was the most critical for the newly born Arabian leopard cubs, as it is for all newborn leopards. It was during this period that they successfully bonded with their 10-year-old mother Hamms (which means whisper in Arabic), learned important behaviors and grew stronger in the seclusion of their den before they were visited and vaccinated. The cubs will remain with their mother for the next 18 months to two years in line with global best practice for captive breeding programs.

Commenting on this exciting development for the future of the Arabian leopard, Minister of Culture and RCU Governor Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Al-Saud said: “This is an historic moment in our efforts to reintroduce the Arabian leopard to the Al-Ula region. With fewer than an estimated 200 Arabian leopards remaining in the wild globally, this is one of the most critically endangered animals in the world, and these cubs represent a new beacon of hope for the renewal of a subspecies on the brink of extinction. It is our duty to protect, conserve and build population numbers to preserve the species from becoming a footnote of history.

“That is why the RCU is actively championing the revitalization of the Arabian leopard to support the future of this rare and majestic big cat that is native to Al-Ula. The birth of these two cubs will be the first of many as our specialized captive breeding program grows and develops — boosted by the support of local experts, as well as global partners like Panthera.”

The RCU’s Arabian Leopard Initiatives (ALI) combine several projects working toward the preservation of this critically endangered subspecies including an extensive captive breeding and reintroduction program, as well as the establishment of the Global Fund for the Arabian Leopard.

The announcement of the newborn leopard cubs also follows the signing in June of a partnership agreement between the RCU Governor Prince Badr and Dr. Thomas Kaplan, chairman of the global wild cat conservation organization Panthera. Saudi Arabia, through this partnership, has in turn joined the Global Alliance for Wild Cats, making a commitment to invest $20 million over the next 10 years.