Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has announced the birth of two Nubian ibexes, marking a milestone in its wildlife rehabilitation program and a major step toward restoring native species in the Kingdom.

The births are part of a broader effort to reintroduce 23 indigenous species that historically inhabited the region.

The Nubian ibex is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with fewer than 5,000 mature individuals believed to remain in the wild globally.

Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority, hailed the successful birth as a significant achievement within the reserve’s rehabilitation efforts.

“This is the fourth key species to reproduce successfully in our program, following the Arabian oryx, sand gazelle, and mountain gazelle,” he said.

“These milestones contribute directly to our vision of restoring the region’s native ecosystems.”

Zaloumis also noted the growing population of ibexes across the Kingdom’s royal reserves, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to protecting wildlife and preserving biodiversity.

Spanning 24,500 square kilometers, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is one of eight royal reserves in Saudi Arabia.

It stretches from volcanic plateaus to the Red Sea coast, linking strategic giga-projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project, AlUla, and Amaala.

The reserve is also home to the PIF-backed Wadi Al Disah project.

The reserve encompasses 15 distinct ecosystems and accounts for 1% of the Kingdom’s land and 1.8% of its marine area. Despite this, it hosts more than 50% of Saudi Arabia’s biodiversity, making it one of the richest natural areas in the Middle East in terms of ecological diversity.