Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has announced a major breakthrough in its Cheetah Conservation Program, with the birth of four cheetah cubs.
This milestone coinciding with the launch of the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy and marks a crucial step in the efforts led by Eng. Abdulrahman AlFadley, Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of the NCW Board, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said, “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.”
“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 emphasised that this discovery would fuel the determination to reestablish cheetah populations, “guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.”
The strategy aims to reintroduce cheetahs through captive breeding, site selection, and community engagement, with rigorous monitoring to ensure their sustainability.
It involves breeding, habitat conservation, environmental assessment, captive-bred cheetah releases, and reintroduction efforts to address global cheetah conservation challenges.
The discovery of cheetah mummies dating from 4,000 to 120 years ago, highlight their historical presence and biodiversity role.
