PR97457

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, August 17, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Birth marks a significant milestone in saving the critically endangered species

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announces the birth of two Arabian leopard

cubs, in a milestone moment for RCU's conservation captive-breeding program.

The cubs, now part of our pride of Arabian Leopards, were born in a

captive-breeding programme at the Arabian Leopard Breeding Center in Taif,

Saudi Arabia.

The leopard's habitat, which formerly spanned the Arabian Peninsula and reached

into the Levant, is now restricted to three countries: Saudi Arabia, Oman and

Yemen. While species numbers are estimated as fewer than 200 in the wild after

centuries of habitat loss and poaching.

Through RCU's captive breeding program and conservation initiatives, which aim

to restore the population through the breeding programme and prepare a suitable

habitat in which the leopards can thrive, the species will eventually be

reintroduced into the wilderness in the mountains of AlUla.

To learn more, visit https://www.rcu.gov.sa/en/meetourcub

Note to 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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SOURCE: Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)