Emergency intervention to assess and conserve the

                                                 Monthly Performance Report -
                       Sanid Organization for Natural Conservation (SONC)

  Project: Protecting the Arabian leopard in Yemen from extinction.

October 2022/AD
Report preparer: Muhammad Abu Haider

 Project's Data : 
----------------------
Project Name : Protecting the Arabian leopard in Yemen from extinction

The project Location : Yemen

Name of the organization applying for the scholarship:
Sanid Organization for Natural Conservation (SONC)

Report Duration : Month             Starting Date :1/10/2022                 Expiry Date:10/11/2022

Organization Aaddress
                                 Capital Secretariat - Shu'ub District - Al-Habari
                                 0096701205757

Report Preparer      :  Mohammed Abu Haider      Current Job :   Project manager

E-Mail: Programs.officer@sanid.org

Mmobile Number :  00967 775907606

Organization's Website : www.sanid.org

An overview of the situation of the Arabian leopard in Yemen.

 The Arabian leopard is found in mountainous areas, considering Yemen one of the most prominent environments in which it has been endemic since ancient times, which made the Yemeni government declared it the national animal. It is found in several areas in the country, including: Al-Mahra, Al-Dhalea, and in the Yafa Mountains, Abyan, Shabwa, Al-Bayda, Radaa, Ibb, and the Bani Qais Protectorate in Hajjah. Dozens of tigers are also present in the context of preserving them in a number of zoos in Yemen, such as: the zoo in the capital, Sana'a, the Ibb zoo, and the zoo in Taiz, southwest of the country. The presence of the Arab leopard in the “Kur al-Awaliq” mountains in the Yemeni governorate of Shabwa, after its disappearance for 20 years from the Shabwa areas. The Arab tiger faces the threat of hunting, with the justification that it preys on sheep owned by citizens, which made it vulnerable to being killed by sheep owners in Shabwa, threatening to kill the tiger in retaliation for the killing of its sheep. It seems difficult and very difficult to protect a wild animal, which requires the Sand organization (the nature conservation sector) to work hard and invite the concerned authorities to move and coordinate in order to educate the people of the areas in which the Arab leopard resides. This requires activating awareness and guiding the population about the importance of preserving the rare animals that characterize their areas, such as the Arabian leopard. The presence of rare animals and endangered species, means that these animals are older than humans and are indigenous to the land and we should respect this. .

Activities carried out:

Sand (Nature Conservation Sector) and through the official and competent authorities seek to activate the laws in force in Yemen that protect this type of animal. He attacks these animals by carrying out the following:

• Coordination and awareness of the people of the areas in which the Arab tiger resides.

Training for volunteers from local activists in the targeted areas on the process of monitoring and reporting violations against the Arab leopard in the three most affected areas.

• Two meetings were held with the Environmental Protection Authority and proposals were made about work and coordination between the organization and the authority in contracting with legal offices and consultants to review the laws in force in Yemen related to the protection of endangered wild animals, the most important of which is the Arabian leopard.
• Submitting a letter to the Environmental Protection Authority to address the Yemeni government to stop all permits to bring the Arabian tigers out of Yemen, except for the purpose of breeding and then return to their original homeland.
• Sand is following up on the Yemeni government's implementation of its previous declaration of reserves that protect the Arabian tigers.
• Intensifying awareness-raising efforts in the areas of presence of the Arab tiger by criminalizing smuggling and murder, and reporting any dangers to which the Arabian tiger is exposed.
• Intensifying visits to educational institutions (schools, universities and institutes) to familiarize students with the importance of preserving and protecting the Arabian Leopard, in coordination with educational institutions.
• Develop plans for reserves,
• Continuous meetings with the competent authorities in the government to activate the role of protection and legal prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes against this animal.
• A field visit to the areas of Al-Dhalea and Shabwa, where the Arab leopard is present, and meeting with local officials and being able to convince them of the need to create a reserve that combines the two governorates, and studying the need to find monitoring and tracking centers for wild animals and obtaining sufficient data to develop protection plans.
• A field visit to the two zoos in Sana'a and Taiz and to see the needs of the Arab tiger, where the female Arabian tiger (Saffron) is present in the zoo in Sana'a.
• Providing medical care to the female Arabian leopard by giving her vaccinations and special food supplies to maintain her survival in the zoo in Sana'a.
• Providing foods under the supervision of a veterinary specialist for the Arab tigers in Taiz Park and their cubs.
• Expansion of cages and places inhabited by tigers in the gardens, in coordination with the Department of Gardens.

Indications:

1. The high rate of awareness of the importance of Arab tigers as a purebred animal wealth and the need to protect them from killing and smuggling among citizens in the areas where Arab tigers are present.

2. The relative response from the official authorities regarding the activation of laws related to the protection of wild animals (the Arabian leopard) and the reduction of smuggling and killing of them.

3. The recovery of some Arab tigers that the veterinary team was able to reach.

Challenges and obstacles:

• The deterioration of the economic situation in Yemen and its reflection on the deterioration of the environmental situation.

The government's inability to provide the necessary needs for Arab tigers in parks and their various areas of presence.

Lack of firm application of the laws in force by the government against those who neglect the importance of indigenous livestock, especially the Arabian tiger.

Lack of model reserves.

Conflict between people and animals is one of the main threats to the survival of some of Yemen's most emblematic species. Conflict between humans and wildlife - when conflicts arise from human-animal contact - can lead to humans killing animals in self-defense, preemptive or retaliatory killing.

Tigers prey on cattle and sheep, causing farmers to lose their livelihoods.

• Weak monitoring and tracking capabilities of the Arab tigers.
• Lack of support and donations.

Lessons learned:

Prior coordination with the competent authorities (the Supreme Council for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - the Ministry of Agriculture - the local community - the Environmental Protection Authority.

Identifying many Yemeni regions where endangered wild animals are found.

Continuous communication with donors through globalgiving and clarifying the situation of endangered wild animals (Arabian leopard) in Yemen, which are considered among the most important indigenous national animal wealth. existing in Yemen and their vulnerability.

Some farmers in the areas of the presence of Arab tigers face difficulty in grazing their livestock for fear of being preyed upon by the Arab tiger, which leads to weakening their livelihoods. This leads to the outbreak of hostility between humans and the Arab tiger that may expose the latter to murder and chase. . .

Next period activities:

  Providing studies and peaceful solutions to farmers to protect their livestock and sheep from predation by wild animals (Arabian tiger).

Follow-up of the government in finding legal and logistical government support

. Communicate with reliable and specialized partners on the ground.

Community outreach (awareness sessions by a team of volunteers and stakeholders,

Conducting an evaluation questionnaire on the extent to which society accepts the need to protect Arab tigers in the shadow of wars and conflicts.

Searching for financial funding for the purpose of establishing model monitoring centers for the Arab tigers, their movements and the risks they are exposed to.

Seeking and coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Public Authority for Environmental Protection to reform grasslands and water pits in the remote highlands, close to the areas where the Arab tigers are located, to be safe pastures for livestock and sheep, and not to be exposed to predation by tigers, and to reduce tiger hunting, killing and chasing because of their predation to livestock.

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