The Critically Endangered Arabian leopard subspecies Panthera pardus nimr is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. Until the early 20th century, leopards were widespread across the north-western and south-western mountains of Saudi Arabia. However, in the last 100 years the subspecies has been driven to the verge of extinction in the country as a result of persecution, habitat fragmentation and loss of prey species.
Possible Arabian leopard scrape mark found on 23 October 2023 in southern Saudi Arabia. Photo: Hadi Al Hikmani.
The national action plan for the Arabian leopard considered the population to number 50 individuals, in the Sarawat and Hijaz mountains (Islam et al., 2017, Cat News, 66, 14–17), but a 2020–2022 camera trap study across most of the leopard's historical range in Saudi Arabia found no evidence of its occurrence (Dunford et al., 2023, Oryx, 58, 351–362). However, this study did not include the mountainous areas along the Saudi–Yemen border. In October 2023, we installed 14 camera traps in 200 km2 of the mountainous border area. The camera traps did not detect the leopard, but we found four potential leopard scrape markings 4–8 km from the border. Three of the scrapes were along a wadi trail in soft soil at 1,380 m elevation and the fourth was in a cave at 1,525 m. Leopards are known to scrape the ground with their hind paws to mark their territories. In Oman, leopards commonly leave their signs in soft substrates, including in caves and overhangs. The length and width of the four scrapes were 18–28 and 10–24 cm, respectively, similar to records of leopard scrapes in Iran and Oman (Ghoddousi et al., 2008, Zoology in the Middle East, 44, 101–103).
These scrapes are potential evidence of current Arabian leopard occurrence in southern Saudi Arabia. There are recent unconfirmed reports of leopards along the border area, and the mountains where we found the scrapes extend into the mountains of Yemen. Thus, it is likely that the scrapes were from dispersing leopards. We recommend extensive camera-trap surveys along the border area to ascertain whether the leopard is extant in the region, and thus help conservation authorities in Saudi Arabia plan for the protection of any remaining leopards in the country.
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