RIYADH: Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority has announced the rare discovery of three breeding colonies of Eurasian Griffon vultures on World Vulture Awareness Day, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
According to the SPA the Griffon vulture is listed as endangered in the Middle East. The Griffon vulture faces a serious global conservation crisis globally. Vultures are essential to maintaining healthy ecosystems and preventing disease outbreaks by acting as nature’s clean-up crew.
Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority, stated: “The endangered Griffon vulture is an uncommon breeding resident in Saudi Arabia. Reserve scientists have found four active nests with adults incubating eggs and raising chicks by using drones and are closely monitoring them.
These breeding colonies are a testament to the reserve’s conservation work and role as a sanctuary for the natural heritage of Saudi Arabia.
The 24,500 km² Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve stretches from the lava plains of the Harrat Rahat volcanic fields to the deep Red Sea in the west and is home to 15 distinct ecosystems and over 50 percent of Saudi Arabia’s species.
Four active nests in three separate breeding colonies with adults incubating eggs and chicks approximately two to three months of age were found in the sandstone mountains of the Jabel Qaraqir section of the reserve.
In 2023, two Griffon vultures were released into the reserve in collaboration with the National Centre for Wildlife. Griffon vultures coexist with other predators, such as wolves and hyenas, who play an essential role in vultures’ ability to feed.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, one of eight royal reserves in Saudi Arabia, is committed to restoring and conserving the natural environment, supporting the reintroduction of historically occurring native species like the Arabian leopard, cheetah, and Lappet-faced vulture as part of a comprehensive rewilding program. These efforts are aligned with Saudi Arabia’s broader sustainability and conservation objectives under the Saudi Green and Middle East Green Initiatives.
