Developing a model to protect the biodiversity of Saudi Arabia

Diversity of landscape

To better understand the biodiversity in the Kingdom, look to the diversity of its landscape. To the west, is the Red Sea, which contains by hundreds of sub-tropical islands and glorious coral reefs teeming with life. 

Heading southwest are the prodigious ‘Asir Mountains, the wettest and coolest part of Saudi Arabia. These mountains have so many unique species of wildlife that they are formally listed as one of the world’s most important global biodiversity hotspots.

Saudi Arabia also contains some of the rarest animals on earth, such as the Sarso Island Racer, which is a snake that was discovered in the Farasan Islands off Jazan in 1964. This snake had never been seen before, or since.

More than 500 species of plant and animal life are protected within these natural areas, including more than 55 species and subspecies that are native to the Arabian Peninsula and do not occur anywhere else.

Indeed, 30% of all of Saudi Arabia’s terrestrial mammal species have been recorded within the Company’s Abha protected area. The Abha protected area contains perhaps the best habitat for Philby’s Partridge, a bird that is unique to southwest Arabia.

Endangered species in Saudi Arabia

The number of endangered species across the world is increasing, and Saudi Arabia is no different. Around 33% of the Kingdom’s plant and animal species are formally listed as threatened with extinction, with perhaps 70% of the plant and animal populations decreasing.

For example, the Common Ostrich once roamed across much of the Arabian Peninsula, even entering the Rub’ al-Khali. But this enormous bird was hunted to extinction several decades ago.

Likewise, the Arabian Bustard once ranged across the western region of Saudi Arabia, but its numbers gradually dwindled, due to habitat loss and hunting, until it disappeared around 1993. Fortunately, a single bird was recorded on Farasan Island in 2020.

The Spotted Sandgrouse, a desert bird that frequently featured in ancient Arabic poetry, once occurred across most of the northern half of Saudi Arabia. By 1980, it began to disappear, and is now found only in two small patches near Yanbu’ and Haradh.

With a large number of species decreasing in number, it becomes a challenge to identify which ones to prioritize for conservation efforts and resources. Which species should ecologists help first?

Saudi Arabia’s highest
conservation priorities

By using this scientific scoring system, the highest conservation priority species in Saudi Arabia right now is a freshwater fish species called Arabian Bream. This fish was first discovered in 1983, but was not seen again until it was rediscovered in 2014 at Khaybar. It is critically endangered, and only found at one small dam in Saudi Arabia.

The next highest conservation priority animal is the ‘Asir Magpie, which can only be found in the juniper forest in the ‘Asir mountains of Saudi Arabia.

Aramco ecologists have used GIS modelling to map the remaining habitat of this highly endangered bird, and have discovered that its habitat has shrunk to 80 km2 due to development in the area. Perhaps only 100 pairs of this bird remain.

Continuing to protect

Most of the top 20 highest conservation priority species are small freshwater fish, reptiles, or birds that few people have heard of. This makes research initiatives and conservation efforts for these species even more important, in order to learn more about these species and better protect them.

Aramco continues its program of designating Biodiversity Protected Areas of its high-value habitat, to protect as many of Saudi Arabia’s precious plant and animal species as possible.

We conduct rigorous biodiversity surveys to ensure we meet our goal of having a net positive impact on biodiversity in all our new projects.