Saudi Arabia: Harrat Uwayrid joins UNESCO’s biosphere reserves list

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Harrat Uwayrid, was on Wednesday added to UNESCO Biosphere Reserve’s World Network. It is now the second reserve to make the list from the kingdom.

Harrat Uwayrid, is a biosphere reserve for protection of critically endangered Arabian leopards and Arabian gazelles, and about 50,000 villagers who are heavily reliant on farming and pasturing. It is second only to Farasan Islands which joined the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program list in 2021.

Located in Al-Ula governorate, Harrat Uwayrid is the Kingdom’s largest biosphere reserve., among seven of them. It consists of 19 species of endangered animals, and 43 species of birds, including 8 species of prey. The reserve also contains 55 species of rare plants, reported Saudi Gazette