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Cheetah Reintroduction in Saudi Arabia.
Cheetah Reintroduction in Saudi Arabia.
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Cheetah Reintroduction in Saudi Arabia.
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Check out this new thread that focuses on the new cheetah reintroduction project in Saudi Arabia.
Experts share details of cheetah remains found in Saudi Arabia and launch reintroduction program
RIYADH: More information about the well-preserved remains of cheetahs discovered recently in northern Saudi Arabia was revealed on Wednesday during a workshop, hosted by the Saudi National Center for Wildlife, that also included the official launch of the Kingdom’s inaugural Cheetah Repatriation Program. The discovery last year of the mummified cheetah remains, which was described as significant, attracted worldwide attention and prompted international experts to work with local specialists to discuss and research the find. Ahmad Alboug, general manager of the wildlife center’s terrestrial wildlife conservation department, told Arab News: “The discovery of the mummies in ground caves in Saudi Arabia is a big opportunity, not only on a national level but an International level.” The center announced last year that the well-preserved, naturally mummified remains of 17 cheetahs had been found in a cave in the north of the Kingdom. Tests have revealed that the cheetahs roamed the region as far back as 4,000 years ago, and as recently as 120 years ago, confirming the historical presence of the mammals in the Arabian Peninsula. Genetic analysis confirmed the animals had originated in the region. “The center has been working to reintroduce cheetahs since the establishment of the National Center for Wildlife in 2021,” said Alboug. “But at that time there were gaps in the information … (These recent discoveries allowed us) to get a lot of data, extract the DNA from these samples, and determine through carbon-14 dating the ages of the samples and the contents. “This will help to also improve our knowledge to support Saudi Vision 2030, and also to support the Saudi Green Initiative and to rehabilitate and reintroduce the native species of Saudi Arabia.” Scans of the remains revealed that some internal organs, including the stomach and intestines, were remarkably well-preserved. Mohammed Qurban, the CEO of the wildlife center, said during the workshop that the discovery has provided an abundance of valuable information for the breeding and resettlement program, clarified a lot of previously unconfirmed information, and will have a positive effect on future wildlife research while also increasing the determination among researchers to find even more evidence in this field. In collaboration with international experts, the wildlife center was able to establish the age of the remains, identify the subspecies, determine the genetic makeup, and compare this with the genetic sequence of cheetahs in the center’s shelters and other groups of the animals around the world. The workshop on Wednesday featured speakers from around the world who presented a global overview of cheetah conservation and discussed important findings, the cultural and historical significance of cheetahs, and the Kingdom’s conservation strategy. Vincent van der Merwe, manager of the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative in South Africa, told Arab News: “In southern Africa, we still have most of our indigenous large-mammal species, we never lost them. “If you go to a place like Europe, the original habitats and wildlife disappeared so long ago that the idea of bringing it back is not even in their mind. “A country like Saudi Arabia has realized that … it’s an opportunity for it to set a precedent and to restore ecological functioning … There’s massive potential for environmental gains, conservation and reintroductions. I think this is going to be a very exciting place to work in the next 50 years.” Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the minister of environment, water and agriculture, and chairman of the wildlife center’s board of directors, inaugurated the Cheetah Repatriation Program during the workshop. The center aims to continue its research into the cheetah remains as part of the implementation of the national strategy for the reintroduction of the species across the Kingdom. The research will include studies of historical environmental changes and their effects on the extinction of the cheetah in the region, and testing of the digestive systems in the mummified remains to determine the animals’ historical prey. Threatened by habitat loss, cheetah populations are in a vulnerable state worldwide and there are only around 7,100 of the animals confirmed to be living in the wild. The cheetah is known to have been extinct in the Arabian Peninsula for more than 50 years. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2297351/amp
Saudi wildlife agency discovers skeletons of extinct cheetahs
RIYADH: Experts from the National Center for Wildlife in Riyadh have discovered the ancient skeletons of 17 cheetahs in a cave in Rafha, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The center said the find was significant because it provided rare evidence of hunter-gatherer activity in the Arabian Peninsula. The discovery was made during research into the biodiversity of caves and bodies of water in the area. The center’s CEO Dr. Muhammad Ali Qurban said cheetahs had been extinct on the Arabian Peninsula for more than 50 years and that even specimens kept in museums and research centers were very rare. The discovery of the skeletons, some of which had been mummified, provided the first definitive evidence that cheetahs once migrated across the peninsula to the north of Saudi Arabia, Qurban said. He added that the find would provide valuable information to support captive breeding and resettlement programs, as well as future research. The National Center for Wildlife has shelters for cheetahs all over the world, as it works to breed and resettle the animals in Saudi Arabia. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2144896/amp
Saudi Arabia Celebrates Birth of 4 Cheetah Cubs, Unveils Ambitious Conservation Strategy
The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has announced a major breakthrough in its Cheetah Conservation Program: the birth of four cheetah cubs, which coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy that marks a significant milestone for the initiative spearheaded by Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and NCW Board Chairman Eng. Abdulrahman AlFadley last year. "The official launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy, and the announcement of the birth of four cheetah cubs, signifies an important achievement in our conservation efforts,” NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban said in a statement. “This strategy reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for wild cheetahs in their natural habitats in the Kingdom." Qurban added that the birth of these cubs is especially momentous given the cheetah's absence from the Arabian Peninsula for over four decades. "Our recent discovery of ancient cheetah mummies in northern Saudi Arabia underscores the region's historical role as a prime cheetah habitat," he said. Qurban stressed the discovery will fuel the determination to reestablish cheetah populations, "guided by an integrated strategy designed in line with best international practices.” According to the statement, "the strategy sets ambitious goals for reintroduction through successful captive breeding, strategic site selection, and community engagement in wildlife conservation.” Rigorous monitoring after the reintroduction aims to ensure the cheetah population's sustainability. Structured across multiple phases, the strategy's first phase focuses on breeding, habitat conservation, and environmental assessment. Subsequent phases involve experimental releases of captive-bred cheetahs and widespread reintroduction, with population monitoring. Given the global challenge of cheetah conservation — with only 15% of wild-born cheetahs successfully breeding in captivity, and just 20% of those continuing to produce offspring — Saudi Arabia's achievement in having four cheetah cubs born and launching the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy underscores the Kingdom's commitment to biodiversity preservation, including the protection of endangered species and the ambitious goal of reintroducing previously extinct ones. https://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5042844-saudi-arabia-celebrates-birth-4-cheetah-cubs-unveils-ambitious-conservation
Here’s a video on the new plans of the Cheetah reintroduction plans in Saudi Arabia in case you’re interested in watching.
https://m.youtube.com/live/rugU3KacCCM?s...kUd0ZvxvIA
Check out There new strategy
https://x.com/ncw_center/status/1816184921276440613?s=46&t=mlvb-lKp-SiUfwUh5n4vvA |
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