Royal Commission For Alula’s Arabian Leopard Conservation Breeding Centre Secures International Accreditation From EAZA

The Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) Arabian Leopard Conservation Breeding Centre has been awarded official accreditation by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

The first wildlife institution in Saudi Arabia to be named a member of EAZA, the accolade further strengthens RCU’s long-term commitment to safeguarding the future of the Arabian leopard and conserving AlUla’s vulnerable native animals and ecosystems.

The Arabian Leopard Conservation Breeding Centre is the world’s only active site for the conservation breeding of the Big Cat subspecies. Home to 31leopards – more than double the original 14 when RCU took over the centre in 2020 – staff welcomed seven births in 2023 and five births last year, including rare triplets.

RCU’s key conservation partners, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has classified the Arabian Leopard as critically endangered in the wild since 1996.

Joining EAZA is a major milestone in Saudi Arabia and RCU’s commitment to the long-term conservation of AlUla’s natural spaces and the sustainable regeneration of its wildernesses through comprehensive regreening and rewilding programmes.

Its membership provides RCU and its employees at the centre access to an international network of animal welfare, biodiversity, and conservation specialists. EAZA boasts global resources, expert knowledge, and a range of successful collaborative breeding programmes.

RCU’s ultimate aim is to reintroduce Arabian Leopards back into their natural habitat, in the valleys and mountains of AlUla.

The centre’s work is aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan to conserve and celebrate Saudi Arabia’s rich natural heritage though initiatives that achieve environmental sustainability and promote the benefits of light-touch tourism.

Dr. Stephen Browne, VP of Wildlife and Natural Heritage, RCU, said: “Being granted membership of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria is a major boost to RCU’s ambitions to conserve and safeguard the Arabian leopard. A symbol of Saudi Arabia’s bold commitment to protect our natural world, the Arabian Leopard Conservation Breeding Centre is a critical component in a complex and long-term project.

“Being able to engage with EAZA’s worldwide ecosystem of experts means staff at the centre have access to the very best and most up-to-date knowledge to help with their important mission to raise the population of leopards in their care.

“With each new birth, we come closer to our goal of reintroducing leopards to their native habitats. Returning an apex predator such as the Arabian leopard to the wild is key to RCU’s strategy of regeneration that will slowly restore nature’s balance, directly contributing to the conservation and rich biodiversity of AlUla’s wild spaces.”