Yemen’s Last Leopards Get Some Help
16/09/2008 17:59:54
Arabian leopards. Dr. Jane Edmonds, BCEAW.
"Everything that walks upon the Earth, or flies with its wings, is a nation like you." - (Surat al Anam, 38 - 6).
The most credible interpretation of this famous Qur'anic verse is that every one of Allah's creations has a right to existence, just as people do. Sadly, man's record of safeguarding creation is abysmally poor. Fisheries the world over are in recession and many formerly important fish stocks have been declared commercially extinct. Global deforestation rates are measured in hectares per minute, with plant and animal extinctions occurring at a rate that the planet hasn't experienced since the end of the age of dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. Large charismatic animals including snow leopards, all of the great apes, tigers, and all five species of rhino among many others are declining so rapidly that many will be gone from the wild within our lifetimes.
Arabian extinctions - Cheetah, lion, ostrich, Arabian gazelle, Queen Sheba's gazelle
Probably the highest extinction rates are associated with habitat destruction in the tropics, but Arabia is no stranger to this unfortunate trend. The last Arabian Cheetah was shot in 1950. The Arabian Ostrich, a bird that was common within the memory of living Yemenis was exterminated from the Peninsula by 1945. Two Arabian species of gazelle have recently disappeared from the face of the Earth: the Arabian Gazelle and Queen Sheba's Gazelle, a species that was once common in the mountains around Taiz and which was last reported in 1951. There are now no naturally occurring populations of Arabian Oryx, a magnificent creature that was barely rescued from annihilation in the 60s. Even lions once roamed Arabia, but sadly, these too are gone.
Residents of Wada’a near a “margabah”, a traditional leopard trap. Credit David B. Stanton.
Extinctions in Yemen continue with several important species teetering on the brink. These include the Nubian Ibex, an impressive animal which may literally be on its last legs in Yemen, and of course, the Arabian Leopard, the last of Arabia's great carnivores. Within the past 100 years the range of the Arabian Leopard has shrunk by at least 99%.
There are no accurate estimates of just how common leopards once were in Arabia, but this quote from Agatharchides from the 2nd Century BC gives us an idea of how Arabian wildlife has changed over the years, "Because of the abundance and excellence of the pasturage it not only supports flocks and herds of all sorts in unspeakably great numbers but also wild camels and, in addition, deer and gazelles. In response to the abundance of animals which breed there, crowds of lions, wolves and leopards gather from the desert."
The most common remark about leopards that one hears these days is, "Oh, I didn't know that we still had them" and indeed, wildlife is probably the last thing that now comes to mind when people picture Arabia.
Extinct in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon & Egypt
It is probably by virtue of the leopards' resourcefulness that they have just managed to hang on here. Gone from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and quite probably the UAE, there are only a few fragmented populations of these elusive mammals elsewhere in Arabia.
Wadi Lefaj al Yemin, where leopards are reputed to still exist in Yemen. Photo taken on June 28, 2008 by David B. Stanton.
Oman has a small but well-protected population in the Dhofar region and some of their radio-collared leopards have been satellite tracked to within 1 kilometre of the Yemeni border. It is quite possible that these are part of a larger population which ranges into Hawf in Al Mahrah although there is no proof. Occupied Palestine contains a maximum of ten leopards, with an unknown number possibly occurring in Saudi Arabia. Residents of Wada'a Amran where most of Yemen's captive leopards were trapped, claim that there are still a few leopards in their area and a recent survey of the region found compelling evidence that this is true. Otherwise, nobody knows how many Arabian Leopards are left and where they live. What is known is that when one considers a generous estimate of no more than 200 wild leopards and a maximum captive population of about 60, the Arabian Leopard is one of the rarest large cats.
Over-hunting leads to human - leopard conflict
Obviously, the future of the Arabian Leopard is far from secure for a variety of regions. As the human population grows, people move into areas that were formerly unsettled and push wildlife out in the process. Over-hunting of ibex, hyrax, partridge and other prey animals means that leopards have little to eat, forcing them to either starve or prey on livestock. This puts them in conflict with people so they are mercilessly hunted. Although it is in contravention of local and international law, selling leopards is a lucrative business that further adds to the plight of those few that remain. Finally, the widely held misperception that leopards pose a threat to people adds to their dilemma as people shoot them either to remove the threat, or to demonstrate their "manliness" in killing such a "dangerous" animal.
"1st Annual Walk to Save the Arabian Leopard
In response to the dire situation of Yemen's leopards, a recovery initiative was conceived on August 5th, 2007. This originated with an idea that was hatched by Melissa Stanton as a means of keeping alive the ten-year tradition of Sana'a International School (SIS) students' "walking for wildlife." This global event was promoted by WWF-UK, but because they discontinued the walk in 2007, SIS teacher and local walk organizer David Stanton decided to take Melissa's advice and organize a walk in support of the Arabian Leopard, an animal that Melissa had worked with as a volunteer at Sana'a Zoo and while training at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah (BCEAW).
The concept behind the "1st Annual Walk to Save the Arabian Leopard" was to involve SIS students in raising money which could be used to help prevent the extinction of a Yemeni animal. From this seed evolved a concept that keeps ownership and responsibility with the students, so that not only are they determining how the money raised by the walk is spent, but that they actually have a role in implementing project initiatives. For once, their involvement with conservation is truly "hands-on."
The walk was held on November 11th, 2007 at which time at least 200 students, teachers, and parents walked a cumulative total of more than 2,400 km and raised close to $6,000 for the conservation of leopards. The walk was promoted by the Arabian Leopard Club, a dedicated group of students that also generates and tests activities designed to raise the awareness of children about the issue of Arabian Leopard conservation. The goal of the Arabian Leopard Club is to organize a nationwide network of clubs and to make the "leopard walk" an annual national event.
Yemeni Leopard Recovery Program
The adult wing of the Arabian Leopard Club is the Yemeni Leopard Recovery Program (YLRP), a group which is favoured by the inclusion of Yemeni Minister for Water and the Environment, Abdulrahman al Eryani, on its steering committee. The express goal of the YLRP is to ensure an expanding population of wild Arabian Leopards in Yemen. Working with conservationists in the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Species Survival Commission, experts at the BCEAW, and a large number of specialists from a variety of organizations including the Zoological Society of London, the Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife, BirdLife International, the Yemen Ornithological Society, the Yemen Animal Welfare Foundation, and many others, YLRP has devised a three-pronged strategy to achieve its goal.
Three pronged strategy
The first part of this strategy is to increase public awareness, understanding, sympathy, commitment, and involvement in the cause of Arabian Leopard conservation. The work that has been done at SIS is an important first step in this quest. Involving the media in the cause has the potential for even greater gains in this respect, as does taking advantage of Sana'a Zoo's ability to reach its more than 1.4 million annual visitors.
The second part is to improve the breeding success of Sana'a Zoo's four captive Arabian Leopards. A process of institution building at the zoo has begun, and it is expected that this will pave the way for the construction of better leopard cages which are to be built according to international standards of leopard husbandry. Capacity building in the form of professional training of zoo staff is also in the works.
Finally, the most important step is to gain real protection for wild leopards where they still exist. Of primary interest is Wada'a Amran, the sub-district where most of Yemen's captive leopards have been trapped. By demonstrating the value of wild leopards to the local economy, it is expected that the residents of Wada'a will take an active role in protecting them. Attracting ‘eco-tourists' to the area, facilitating community development linked with leopard conservation, and generating employment are a few of the initiatives that are currently under investigation. The eventual development of a protected Leopard Reserve is a desirable and not unrealistic goal.
The Yemeni Leopard Recovery Program has generated a lot of interest in leopard conservation both here and abroad. There seems to be considerable will in Yemen to give its leopards a renewed chance for survival. The obstacles are enormous, but progress is being made and if Yemeni Leopards are to have any hope at all, it will be through the work of YLRP volunteers, and the dedicated professionals who assist them.
Yemeni Leopard Recovery Program, P.O. Box 2002, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen, 733916928, Fax: 967 - 1- 370193, email: yos@y.net.ye , davidstanton@qsi.org