Washington - Saudi Arabia
In a step that reflects the depth of Saudi-American cooperation in the field of wildlife protection, the Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate, the National Zoo, and the Nature Conservation Biology Institute of the Smithsonian Institution celebrated the laying of the cornerstone for the “Saudi Arabia: Arabian Leopard” exhibition in Washington, DC.

The first exhibition of the Arabian leopard outside the Arabian Peninsula

This exhibition is the first of its kind to provide the public outside the Arabian Peninsula with the opportunity to see the Arabian leopard, one of the rarest cats on earth. It is expected to be opened to the public in the winter of 2029, where it will include a pair of Arabian leopards for breeding purposes, in a design inspired by AlUla’s rocky terrain and valleys.

Huge investment in the conservation of threatened species

The Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate supported this project with a grant amounting to $51.6 million, the largest in the history of the National Zoo, to cover the design and construction of the exhibition, the transportation and care of animals, and specialized scientific research.

A professional exchange program to qualify Saudi talent
During the groundbreaking ceremony, a new professional exchange program was announced that will allow Saudi students to train in Smithsonian laboratories, focusing on small population management, genetics, animal behavior, and species tracking. The CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla confirmed that “protecting the Arabian leopard requires building expertise for future generations, not just today’s efforts.”

The Arabian leopard...an environmental symbol in danger

The Arabian leopard is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a critically endangered species, as the number of individuals remaining in the wild does not exceed 120 tigers. The Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate continues its efforts to rehabilitate natural habitats, with the aim of creating conditions for the return of this majestic creature to its original environment in the future.