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Arabian Leopard Day is here, and it’s about time we talk about these majestic creatures. The day, which falls on February 10, aims to raise global awareness about the plight of the critically endangered Arabian Leopard. The campaign is spearheaded by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), an organization that aims to regenerate a vast area of northwest Arabia as a leading global destination for cultural and natural heritage.

Arabian Leopards are seen at the Royal Commission for AlUla’s Arabian Leopard Breeding Centre in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Four cubs have been born at the breeding centre within the past two years. David Chancellor / RCU (PRNewsfoto/Royal Commission for AlUla)

The Arabian Leopard is a symbol of AlUla’s natural environment, and sadly, it’s at risk of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ranks the Arabian Leopard as Critically Endangered in the wild, which is the highest level of risk for a species. If the population continues to decline, the next stages on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are Extinct in the Wild and, lastly, Extinct.

To build support for actions to save the species, the RCU and its conservation partners have launched an international campaign to spread awareness of the Arabian Leopard’s plight in the UK, US, and Saudi Arabia. Billboards featuring the Arabian Leopard will be projected on Piccadilly, High Street Kensington, Canary Wharf, Westfield London, Westfield Stratford City, Skyline – Westfield Stratford City, The Two Towers, Canary Wharf, and NASDAQ in New York.

Dr Stephen Browne, Wildlife & Natural Heritage Executive Director at RCU, stated that the Arabian Leopard is a formidable symbol of their aim to conserve and safeguard AlUla’s natural environment. He also noted the pressing need to step up conservation efforts that are vital to the species long-term survival.

Four cubs have been born at the breeding centre within the past two years.

RCU has taken many steps to prepare for the eventual return of Arabian Leopards to the wild, including releasing native species of prey animals into vast nature reserves, increasing efforts to track and protect wild leopards, and regenerating natural areas managed by teams of RCU-led and trained experts with the goal of restoring a lost yet essential balance to AlUla’s delicate ecosystems.

Fortunately, there have been some successes along the way. RCU’s Arabian Leopard Breeding Programme has welcomed the births of four healthy cubs since April 2021, a major milestone and a welcome contribution to the goal of boosting the population in captivity. One of the cubs, born in 2022, was named Amal, which means ‘hope’ in Arabic, symbolizing the rising hopes to protect the future of the species.

The Arabian Leopard is an essential part of AlUla’s delicate ecosystem, and its return to the wild will be the final piece of a sensitive and complicated puzzle. By raising awareness of the Arabian Leopard’s plight on Arabian Leopard Day, Feb 10, we can help build support for actions to save the species. For more information, visit RCU’s website.