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Monthly Performance Report - Local Partner: SAND Organization  Nature Conservation Sector

Project: Protecting the Arabian leopard in Yemen from extinction

October 2026/M

Project name

Protecting the Arabian leopard in Yemen from extinction

Project site

Yemen

Name of the organization applying for the grant

SAND Relief and Development Organization ( SORD)

Report duration

Start date

August 2026

Expiry date

October 2026

Organization address

Capital Governorate - Shu'ub District - Al-Habari

Telephone number

0096701205757

Report prepared by

Shaif Ezz El-Din

Current job

project manager

e-mail

 Programs.officer@sanid.org

Mobile number

 +967775558034

Organization website

www.sanid.org

Project data:

An overview of the Arabian leopard's status in Yemen  :

 The Arabian leopard is found in mountainous regions, as Yemen is one of the most prominent environments where it has been native since ancient times, which led the Yemeni government to declare it the national animal  .

It is found in several regions of the country, including: Al Mahrah, Al Dhale’a, the mountains of Yafa’, Abyan, Shabwa, Al Bayda, Rada’a, Ibb, and the Bani Qais reserve in Hajjah .

Dozens of tigers are also kept in several zoos in Yemen, such as the zoo in the capital Sana'a, the Ibb Zoo, and the zoo in Taiz in the southwest of the country  .

The presence  The Arabian leopard has been found in the mountains of “Kor Al-Awaliq” in the Yemeni governorate of Shabwa, after disappearing from the Shabwa region for 20 years .

The Arabian leopard faces the threat of being hunted, justified by... It preys on the sheep owned by citizens. This made him vulnerable to being killed by sheep owners in Shabwa who vowed to kill the tiger in revenge for the killing of his sheep .

It seems daunting and very difficult to protect a wild animal, which requires the SAND (Nature Conservation Sector) organization to work hard and call on the concerned parties to take action and coordinate in order to raise awareness among the people of the areas where the Arabian leopard is found and lives .

This requires raising awareness and educating the population about the importance of preserving the rare animals that characterize their regions, such as the Arabian leopard .

The existence of rare and endangered animals means that these animals are older than humans and are native inhabitants of the Earth, and we should respect that .

Activities carried out :

• The awareness campaign continues among the people of the areas where the Arabian leopard is found and lives, with 8 awareness sessions conducted, targeting 20 people from the official, popular, and specialist sides in this field .
• The training was conducted for local activist volunteers in the targeted areas on monitoring and reporting violations against the Arabian leopard in the three most affected regions . Four volunteers were trained in observation, tracking, and monitoring skills .
• Three meetings were held with the Environmental Protection Authority, legal advisors, and specialists in protecting endangered wildlife, most notably the Arabian leopard, to implement partnership and coordination with the organization .
• Implementing awareness campaigns in areas where Arabian leopards are found, criminalizing smuggling and killing, and reporting any dangers to which the Arabian leopard is exposed .
• One meeting was held with the relevant government authorities to activate the role of protection and legal prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against this animal .
• visits were conducted to areas where the Arabian leopard is found, meetings were held with local officials , and a study was presented on the necessity of establishing monitoring and tracking centers for wild animals and obtaining sufficient data on the implementation of protection plans .
• Feeding under the supervision of a veterinary specialist to Arabian tigers found in some parks.
• Tracking and updating data on the abundance of the Arabian leopard and studying the needs of new areas for its presence .

Challenges and obstacles :

• The deteriorating economic situation in Yemen and its impact on the declining environmental situation .
• Lack of support and donations .
• Security and political challenges .
• Lack of financial and human resources .
• Poaching and illegal trade .

I finish

• Protecting the Arabian leopard in Yemen from extin (PDF)