Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Al Ula (RCU) has revealed the first images and videos of two Arabian leopard cubs thanks to their breeding programme, which aims to help preserve the critically endangered species.
The two cubs, one male and one female, were born on April 26 at the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Wildlife Research Centre in Taif in the North West of Saudi Arabia. The pair are now 12 weeks old and have received their first examinations and vaccinations.
The initial three-month period was the most crucial for the newly born leopards as it is during this period they successfully bonded with their 10-year-old mother, Hamms, and learnt important behaviours through her. They will remain together for the next 18 months to two years in line with the global best practice for captive breeding programmes.
The successful conception and birth of the cubs marks a significant breakthrough as the RCU launches its Arabian Leopard Initiatives (ALI), in alignment with the goals and objectives of the RCU Charter to protect the nature and wildlife of the Al Ula region.
Back in June, it was announced that the Saudi Arabian tourism project has signed a deal for at least $20 million (Dh73.4m) with the conservation organisation Panthera, with the aim of helping protect the under-threat species.
The leopard is indigenous to the region, with a population that once flourished on mountains across the Arabian Peninsula. Since 1996, however, the creature has been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List as a critically endangered species.
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- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
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Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
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- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly
Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo
Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.
Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,
She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.
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- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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