By Mohammed Abuhyder | Program Leader
Introduction
About the Arabian leopard
The Arabian leopard is found in the mountainous areas of the Republic of Yemen, as Yemen is one of the most prominent environments in which it has been endemic since ancient times, which made the Yemeni government declare it the national animal of Yemen. It is found in several regions in the country, including: Al-Mahra Governorate, Al-Dhalea Governorate, Yafa Mountains, Abyan Governorate, Shabwa Governorate, and Hajjah Governorate in the Bani Qais Protectorate
The commission confirmed in a statement, Tuesday, that the Arab leopard is one of the most important endangered animals in Yemen, and it was approved by the Prime Minister's decision as a national symbol and emblem of the Republic of Yemen, noting that the remaining numbers of the Arab leopard are estimated at about 200 leopards only. 04/2021
The numbers of these leopards have declined due to the persecution of humans through hunting and poisoning, the decline in the number of their prey, and the expansion of development around their natural habitats. The decline in prey species is also due to over-hunting and extensive grazing of vegetation by local livestock.
The problem faced by the Arab leopard in Yemen:
Citizens of Lahj Governorate, southern Yemen, hunted and killed an Arab leopard in an unexpected way, last April 17/04/2022. .
The rare Arabian leopard is also facing the threat of extinction in Yemen, with continued poaching in several regions of the country. And the Public Authority for Environmental Protection announced that a citizen had killed two rare leopards, after a chase that lasted for days in the Lauder district of Abyan governorate (south of the country). Local hunters often pride themselves on killing leopards during hunting operations in rugged reefs and mountains in governorates where this rare species is present, and photographing them in front of crowds. Sand organization has made great efforts to reduce the phenomenon of hunting Arab leopards. The organization has communicated with the concerned authorities represented by the Environmental Protection Authority and urged them to do their duty. In protecting this Arab national animal by preparing a community awareness program for the importance and symbolism of the Arabian leopard and raising awareness about the threats it faces such as habitat loss, competitive hunting and poisoning, and asking it to denounce and condemn any actions and actions that would eliminate this type of animal and others and joint work to protect the environment.
In accordance with this move by the Nature Conservation Sector Team of the Environmental Protection Organization (SONCS), the government agency issued a statement and declared that killing these leopards is a violation of Environmental Protection Law No. (26) issued in 1995. The authority stressed the need for the authorities to act The local authorities in Abyan governorate, and punishing the perpetrators of this act, fining them and holding them fully responsible for hunting, trafficking, or smuggling the Arabian leopard or other wild animals. Yemen ratified the CITES Convention on the Conservation of Wild Species of Animals and Plants from the Threat of Extinction in 1997. The Commission considered these actions “evidence of the ignorance and lack of awareness of citizens about the importance of the Arabian leopard, and the absence and weakness of the role of local and security authorities in the governorates, to reduce killings Hunting and trafficking of endangered animals.
The Arab leopard is one of the country's national symbols, according to a government decision in 2009, which criminalized, according to Law No. (26) of 1995, hunting, killing or trafficking in it. This is not the first time that the Arabian leopard has been subjected to unfair hunting operations. Rather, it happened during the past years, the last of which was in early April, after the female Arabian leopard was hunted in Abyan governorate. Endangered animals are also facing poaching, most notably the caribou, which is a symbol of ancient Yemeni civilizations, as part of an annual hunting ritual practiced by citizens in several governorates.
The Nature Conservation Sector of SONCS also carried out training for volunteers from local activists in the targeted areas on the process of monitoring and reporting violations against the Arabian leopard in the three most affected areas.
The sector also works with its field team by making field visits to zoos, the most important of which are the zoo in the capital and the zoo in Taiz governorate, and meeting with their administrations to set up a joint mechanism to raise the level of fertilization among Arab leopards to raise the level of their reproduction in a manner that preserves their protection and not to abandon them, and in order to establish protected areas for wild Arab leopards and their prey.
The Nature Conservation Sector of SONCS has also intensified its continuous efforts by communicating with the Yemeni educational and media sector and encouraging them to arrange school and media activities that serve to preserve the Arabian leopard from extinction and to include awareness programs in their future plans
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