This weekend, conservationists have officially marked the first International Arabian Leopard Day to help raise awareness for the critically endangered big cat that once roamed widely across this region.
The smallest of all leopards – the Arabian leopard is only half the weight of its African counterpart – it once inhabited large swathes of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the UAE.
Today, however, that territory has shrunk dramatically, with pockets remaining only in Yemen and central Saudi Arabia. Human expansion encroaching on the leopard's territories has led to the cat being hunted to extinction across North Africa and the Levant. In the wild, Arabian leopards have a wide diet that includes Arabian gazelle, Nubian ibex, hare, porcupines, Ethiopian hedgehog, small rodents, birds and insects.
Once thought to have numbered in the tens of thousands, it is estimated that as few as two hundred remain in the wild today, and in 1996, it was added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Critically Endangered list.
There is some good news, however. There are active breeding programmes under way in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to reintroduce the cats into the wild. Last year, the Royal Commission for AlUla which oversees the breeding programme in Saudi Arabia, announced the birth of seven, healthy Arabian Leopard cubs.
“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,” says Stephen Browne, wildlife and natural heritage vice president at RCU.
“While recent successes give us hope, we recognise that the work of conservation must continue to ensure that this species can one day thrive in the wild. We encourage the international community to join us on Arabian Leopard Day by engaging in activities that strengthen our understanding and love for these magnificent big cats.”
The RCU is also helping to raise awareness about the leopards' fate among young people, with the release of an interactive game Quest for Hope on the Roblox and Decentraland gaming platforms. In the game, players join a virtual conservation mission to track leopards through the rugged mountains of AlUla.
“The Arabian leopard is a powerful symbol of RCU’s aim to conserve and safeguard AlUla’s natural environment through far-reaching conservation efforts designed to protect the natural flora and fauna of this incredible part of north-west Arabia,” says Amr AlMadani, chief executive of Royal Commission for AlUla.
“It is a sad reality that the Arabian leopard is critically endangered. Ongoing threats to its natural habitat highlight the pressing need to step up conservation efforts that are so vital to the species’ long-term survival. We really want people to mark Arabian Leopard Day and engage with activities to raise awareness of, and help to protect, these majestic big cats."
In 2022, RCU and conservation foundation Catmosphere joined forces to launch Arabian Leopard Day, a day that saw famous landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa illuminated with leopard faces. In June last year, UN General Assembly passed a resolution designating February 10 as the International Day of the Arabian Leopard, in support of RCU and its conservation partners.
February 10 is also World Pulses Day on the UN's list of international days and weeks observed by the intergovernmental organisation, and February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
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Christopher Robin
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
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Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
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