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History & Heritage

6.5.2020

AlUla: Arabian gazelles reintroduced in Sharaan Nature Reserve

The Royal Commission for AlUla, the government agency that manages the development of this region dear to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been managing the natural rehabilitation of the region for several months. With this in mind, it has just reintroduced into its original environment the local species of gazelle known scientifically as Gazella Arabica.

The nature reserve is called Sharaan and it is the place that was chosen by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) to welcome the return to nature of the Arabian gazelle. For some time now, the RCU has been working hard to recreate a natural environment similar to the AlUla region at its origins, before it was damaged by overgrazing and human activity in general.

A long-term project

With this in mind, the commission has reintroduced several individuals to the reserve, whom it will continue to monitor for their adaptability and ability to survive. This step is part of a larger rehabilitation project, already marked by several successes: the re-establishment of vegetation necessary for the survival and proper development of animal life, the training of qualified personnel (wardens, guides, etc.) but also the sensitization of local populations to respect for nature and, in this particular case, the reintroduction of endangered species, such as the Arabian gazelle.

 

Varied species

Eventually, the RCU hopes to be able to reintroduce the majestic Arabian leopard, a local big cat on the verge of extinction. This species, classified at the highest level of endangerment, is an integral part of a long-term rescue project in partnership with the NGO Panthera. Recently, you were also informed of the birth of two baby leopards within the framework of the project, which are also destined to one day live in the Sharaan nature reserve.

See also

Saudi Arabia mobilizes for its endangered leopards

Published on 5 June 2020

#Al'Ula

#Saudi Arabia