10/10/2025
12:00 - 12:30
EPAA - Sharjah Government
, Morning
Why attend
Lessons from 25 years at BCEAW, Sharjah. Highlighting the challenges and successes of managing such a small founder base and the importance of integrating ex situ work with wider recovery strategies for the survival of the Arabian leopard in the wild.
Session Description
The Arabian leopard is the most endangered leopard subspecies, with fewer than 200 individuals surviving in scattered, highly fragmented habitats across the Arabian Peninsula. Listed as Critically Endangered since 1996, it serves as a flagship for regional biodiversity yet faces rapid genetic and demographic decline. Since 1998, the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) in Sharjah has led the only coordinated ex situ program for the subspecies, building a genetically managed “safety-net” population from just 11 founders and marking a critical step towards preventing its extinction. The population provides critical insurance against extinction while yielding unique insights into behaviour, reproduction, and husbandry.This presentation reflects on 25 years of experience at BCEAW, these experiences underscore the critical role of ex situ conservation in complementing field-based recovery efforts, providing both insurance against extinction and knowledge essential for the future survival of the Arabian leopard in the wild.Organised by
Environment and Protected Areas Authority - Government of Sharjah
