The Royal Commission for AlUla is celebrating the first International Day of the Arabian Leopard with a new ‘Leap of Hope’ Campaign aimed at enhancing global awareness and action to conserve critically endangered big cat species. This campaign is named after the Arabian Leopard’s agility and the need to boost the numbers of wild populations – a ‘leap’ represents a collective group of leopards.
To emphasize its ambitious goals further, the ‘Leap of Hope’ campaign is launching eye-catching billboards in cities like Beijing, London, New York, and Paris. The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) intends to revitalize AlUla, a vast area of northwest Saudi Arabia, and make it a leading global destination for cultural and natural heritage.
The RCU is also organizing an event on International Day of the Arabian Leopard, titled ‘Community Catwalk,’ in collaboration with Catmosphere in AlUla to encourage public participation. Meanwhile, the ‘Quest for Hope’ is an immersive digital adventure designed to engage global gamers and raise awareness about the endangered Arabian Leopard through a virtual conservation mission.
The RCU launched Arabian Leopard Day in 2022, and in June 2023, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 10 February as the International Day of the Arabian Leopard in support of RCU and its conservation partners. The Arabian Leopard has been designated as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Despite the species’ endangered status, RCU’s Arabian Leopard Conservation Breeding Programme has recorded achievements by welcoming the birth of seven healthy cubs in 2023 and introducing new Arabian Leopard ‘founders’ to increase the genetic diversity of its breeding animals.
Dr. Stephen Browne, the Wildlife & Natural Heritage Vice President at the RCU, stated, “International Day of the Arabian Leopard Day is an important opportunity to draw the world’s attention to the plight of the Arabian Leopard and RCU’s mission to conserve and safeguard AlUla’s natural environment.”
For more details on this event, visit https://www.rcu.gov.sa/en/ArabianLeopard.
It is important to note that the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla region in north-west Saudi Arabia. The long-term plan highlights responsible and sustainable urban and economic development that preserves the area’s extraordinary natural and historical heritage while reflecting a commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program.
SOURCE The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)
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