Saudi Wildlife Center (NCW) announced a major development in its Cheetah Conservation Program with the birth of four cubs and the completion of a comprehensive national strategy, (SPA) reported.
This event coincides with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy, a key initiative led by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman AlFadley.
In a press release on Tuesday, NCW Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mohammed Qurban emphasized the dual significance of these events.
“The birth of the cubs was especially important given the cheetah’s absence from the Arabian Peninsula for more than four decades.
“Our recent discovery of ancient cheetah mummies in northern Saudi Arabia underscores the region’s historical role as a prime cheetah habitat,” Qurban Stated.
He also added that the new strategy aims to reestablish cheetah populations using best international practices.
Moreover, the statement highlights that the strategy sets ambitious goals for reintroduction of this cat family through successful captive breeding, strategic site selection, and community engagement in wildlife conservation.
In the first phase, the strategy focuses on breeding, habitat conservation, and environmental assessment. In subsequent phases, it involves releasing captive-bred cheetahs and conducting its widespread reintroduction, with continuous population monitoring.
Given the global challenge of cheetah conservation, where only 15% of wild-born cheetahs breed successfully in captivity and just 20% of those continue to produce offspring, Saudi Arabia’s success in breeding four cheetah cubs and launching the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy underscores the Kingdom’s dedication to biodiversity preservation.
This includes protecting endangered species and the ambitious goal of reintroducing previously extinct ones.
Genetic analysis further supports Saudi efforts in cheetah breeding and reintroduction, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to wildlife conservation.
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