The in the – Distribution and Status

James A. Spalton1 and Hadi M. Al Hikmani1

1 Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, PO Box 246, 113, Sultanate of

Historically it was considered that there were four subspecies of in the Arabian region. Today P. p. jarvisi no longer occurs and the ranges of P. p. tulliana and P. p. saxicolor have severely contracted north. Only P. p. nimr, the , remains. Morphological data suggests nimr to be the smallest of the leopards and a distinct subspecies but this has yet to be conclusively confirmed by genetic evidence. Recent records give a bleak picture of the status of P. p. nimr. A few individuals survive in the Judean Desert and Highlands while in the Arabian Peninsula leopards are known from just one location in the Repu- blic of and one in the Sultanate of Oman. In Yemen the leopards of the Al Wada’a area are under great pressure from killing and from capture for trade. In Oman the situation is much more hopeful and the leopards of the have benefited from comprehensive conservation measures. While the possibility, however remote, of the existence of other relict populations cannot be ruled out the need for urgent conservation action across the region is obvious given the reality that the Arabian leopard may soon be reduced to two, or even just one population in the wild.

ϲϟΎΤϟ΍ ϊοϮϟ΍ϭ ϲϧΎϜϤϟ΍ ϊϳίϮΘϟ΍ϭ ω΍ϮϧϷ΍ :ΔϴΑήόϟ΍ ΓήϳΰΠϟ΍ ϪΒη ϲϓ ήϤϨϟ΍

κΨϠκ ϣΨϠϣ

ϑϭήψϟ΍ ΕΩ΃ϭϑϭήψϟ΍ ϭ ˬΎϫΪΣ΃ ϰϔΘΧ΍ ΪϘϓ ϡϮϴϟ΍ Ύϣ΃ϡϮϴϟ΍ Ύϣ΃ .ΔϴΑήόϟ΍ ΔϘτϨϤϟ΍ ϲϓ έϮϤϨϟ΍ Ϧϣω΍Ϯϧ΃ ΔѧόΑέ΃ѧόΑέ΃ ΖѧηΎϋ ϲѧοΎϤϟ΍ ϲѧϓ ήϴθΗϭ .αϭΩέΎΑ ΍ήαϭΩέΎ ΜΑ΍ή ϧΎΑϧΎΑΜ ϢγΎγΎϢ Α ΎϴϨϴΗϻΎ˱˱ϴϨϴΗϻ ϑϭήѧόϤϟ΍ϭήѧόϤϟ΍ ϲѧΑήόϟ΍ ϲѧΑήόϟ΍ ήѧϤϨϟ΍ ήѧϤϨϟ΍ ϲѧϘΑ ϦϴѧΣ ϲѧϓ ϝΎϤθѧϟ΍ ϩΎѧΠΗΎΑ ϦϴѧϋϮϧ ΡϭΰѧϧΡϭΰѧϧ ϰѧϟ· Ϧϣ ΖΒΜΘϟ΍ ΎϴϟΎΣΎ˱ϴϟΎΣϱήΠϳϭ ϱήΠϳϭ ˬΎϫΰϴϣ΃ϭ έϮϤϨϟ΍ ήϐλ΃ Ϯϫ ήϤϨϟ΍ ϥ΃ ϰϟ· ϱϮϴѧϨΒϟ΍ ϞϜθѧϟ΍ ϝϮѧΣ ΓήѧϓϮΘϤϟ΍ ΕΎϣϮѧϠόϤϟ΍ .ϲϨϴΠϟ΍ κΤϔϟ΍κΤϔϟ΍ϲϨϴ ήΒϋ ήϣϷ΍ ΍άϫ΍άϫήΒϋ ϪΒѧѧη ΔϘτϨѧѧϣ ϲѧѧϓ ϲѧѧΑήόϟ΍ ήѧѧϤϨϟ΍ ϊѧѧοϭ ϝϮѧѧΣ ΔΤѧѧο΍ϭ ΓέϮѧѧλ ΓήѧѧϴΧϷ΍ Δѧѧϧϭϵ΍ ϲѧѧϓ ΓέϮθѧѧϨϤϟ΍ ΕϼΠδѧѧϟ΍ ΖϣΪѧѧϗ ϲѧѧϓϭ ˬϝΎϤθѧѧϟ΍ ϰѧѧϟ· Δόϗ΍Ϯѧѧϟ΍ ϒΠϨѧѧϟ΍ ˯΍ήΤѧѧλ ϲѧѧϓ έϮϤϨѧѧϟ΍ Ϧѧѧϣ ήϴϐѧѧλ Ω΍ΪѧѧόΗ ΩϮѧѧΟϭ ΢πѧѧΗ΍ ΚϴѧѧΣ ΔϴΑήѧѧόϟ΍ ΓήѧѧϳΰΠϟ΍ ΔϘτϨϣ ϲϓ έϮϤϨϟ΍ ζϴѧόΗ ϦϤϴѧϟ΍ ϲѧϔϓ .ϥΎѧϤϋϥΎѧϤ˵ϋΔϨτϠѧγϭ ΔϨτϠѧγϭ ΔϴѧϨϤϴϟ΍ ΔϳέϮѧϬϤΠϟ΍ Ϧѧϣ Ϟѧϛ ϲѧϓ ΔϴΑήѧόϟ΍ έΔϴΑήѧόϟ΍ Ϯέ ϤϨѧϟ΍Ϯ ΪΟϮѧΗϤϨѧϟ΍ ΏϮϨѧΠΪΟϮѧΗ ϟ΍ΏϮϨѧΠϟ΍ Ύϗ΍ήη·Ύ˱ϗ΍ήη· ήΜϛ΃ ϊοϮϟ΍ ϭΪΒϴϓϓϭΪΒϴ ϥΎϤϋϥΎϤ˵ϋΔϨτϠγ ΔϨτϠγ ϲϓ Ύϣ΃ .ΓήΟΎΘϤϠϟΎϬΑ ϙΎδѧϣϹ΍ϭѧϣϹ΍ϭ ϞΘѧϘϟΎϛ ϞΘѧϘϟΎϛ ΔϴѧϘϴϘΣ ΔϴѧϘϴϘΣ Ε΍ΪѧϳΪϬΗ Ε΍ΪѧϳΪϬΗ ΎϬѧοήόΘΗϭ ΔϋΩϮѧϟ΍ .ΔϠϣΎθϟ΍ ϥϮμϟ΍ ήϴΑ΍ΪΗ Ϧϣ έΎϔχ ϝΎΒΟ ϦσϮΘδΗ ϲΘϟ΍ϦσϮΘδ ϲΘϟ΍ έϮϤϨϟ΍ ΕΩΎϔΘγ΍ ΚϴΣ ϦѧѧϜϤϳϻ ήѧϣϷ΍ѧϣϷ΍ ΍άѧϫ ΍άѧϫ ϥ΃ ϥ΃ ϻ· ϻ· ΔϘτϨѧѧϤϟ΍ ϲѧϓ ΔϴΑήѧόϟ΍ έϮϤϨѧѧϟ΍ Ϧѧϣ ϯήѧΧ΃ ΓΪϴѧѧΟ Ε΍Ω΍ΪѧόΗ ΩϮѧΟϭ ΔϴѧѧϧΎϜϣ· Δϟ΂ѧο Ϧѧϣ ϢϏήѧϟΎΑ ϰϟ· Ύϧήψϰϟ· ψϧ Ύϣ ΍Ϋ· Ύ˱λϮμΧϭΎλϮμΧϭ έΩΎϨϟ΍ ωϮϨϟ΍ ΍άϫ ϰϠϋ υΎϔΤϠϟ ΔϠΟΎϋ Ε΍˯΍ήΟ· ΫΎΨΗϻ ΔΟΎΤϟ΍ ίήѧΒΗήѧΒΗ ΎϨѧϫ ϦѧϣϭΎϨѧϫ ϭ .ϩΩΎόΒΘѧγ΍ϩΩΎόΒΘѧγ΍ .ΪΣ΍ϭ ϰΘΣ ϭ΃ ϦϴϨΛ΍ϭ΃ ϰϟ·΍ ΎΒϳήϗϰϟ· κϗΎϨΘΗ ΪϗΪϗΎΒϳήϗ ϱέ΍ήΒϟ΍ ϲϓ ΔϴΑήόϟ΍ έϮϤϨϟ΍ Ε΍Ω΍ΪόΗ ϥ΃ ΔϘϴϘΣ

Introduction The leopard pardus once oc- Hemprich & Ehrenberg (1833) first to shed light on the historical distributi- curred throughout much of Arabia (Har- described nimr, based on an Abys- on and current occurrence of Panthera rison & Bates 1991). However, over the sinian skin and partly on an Arabian pardus in the region and attempt to cla- past 100 years it has become increasin- one. By the middle of the 20th century it rify the “subspecies” issue. gly threatened as a result of the deple- was generally considered that there was tion of its prey base, killing by hunters evidence for four subspecies in Arabia; Distribution and shepherds and vulnerability of ever P. p. jarvisi in Sinai to the west, P. p. Panthera pardus jarvisi decreasing population size. The leopard saxicolor in Iraq to the north, P. p. tul- Pocock (in Harrison 1968) in 1932 de- is globally red listed as Least Concern, liana from south to the scribed P. p. jarvisi from Sinai although but P. p. nimr is classified as Critically in the Levant with P. p. nimr extending the exact locality and origin of the spec- Endangered (IUCN 2004) and is listed over most of the region from the imen is not known. Harrison (1968) on Appendix I of the Convention on valley south and east to Oman and Ye- considered that the range of P. p. jarvisi International Trade in Endangered Spe- men (Harrison 1968). In this paper we extended south through the Hejaz of cies (CITES). use published work and some new data but later Harrison & Bates

 2006 (1991) described P. p. jarvisi as occur- to Lebanon where it is believed that the Biquand (1990) reported on a survey ring only in Sinai and ‘is probably little last specimen, an old male, was killed of the Asir concluding that they were more than the local variant of nimr’. in 1965 (Mendelssohn 1990). Harrison probably present although they made no Osborn & Helmy (1980) report a & Bates (1991) cite reports that this sightings. In a subsequent paper Nader single specimen examined from Sinai subspecies is clearly flourishing further (1996) reported a small population still but of unknown locality and list numer- south in the Judean Hills (Ilani 1988) in the Hijaz and one also in the Asir, al- ous published records and reports for the and that it occurs in the West Bank (Il- though no evidence was presented. Judas peninsula from 1872 to the early 1950s. ani 1986) although Ilani (1990) believes et al. (2006) report just four confirmed Substantiated reports from recent years the subspecies of the Judean Desert to records since 1999 although three were are lacking. In 1995, Saleh et al. (1995) be P. p. nimr. based on evidence of tracks and live- who surveyed Ras Mohammed, Nabaq stock killing and only in the fourth case, and Abu Gallum protected areas, report- Panthera pardus saxicolor near the Yemen border, were remains of ed tracks in El Omiyed and also The type locality for this subspecies two leopards photographed in 1999. A reported that in May 1995 an adult leop- is Asterabad in southern where it recent paper by Al-Johany (2007) based ard was caught in a leg-hold trap near was described in 1927. Its range is con- on a survey from 1998 to 2001 conclud- the western boundary of Abu Gallum. sidered to extend east to ed that the number of leopards in Saudi In 1997 Prof. Ibrahim Helmy sighted and (Nowell & Jack- Arabia was greater than widely believed a leopard near Abu Durba. In Decem- son 1996) and west to (Borner and included 65 sightings by local in- ber 1997 there was a report of a leopard 1977). There is little evidence of this formants. However, none of the records being sighted in Wadi Eltala and later subspecies in the Arabian Peninsula re- or sightings was substantiated by photo- the same month in Wadi Elgars, being gion, the most southern records coming graphic or other evidence and since that a branch of Wadi Eltala (Ibrahim 1998). from a low lying area at Rawa on the time field surveys and camera trapping A camera-trapping programme and Euphrates and yet further south on the programs have failed to confirm the survey started in 1999 (Spalton 1999) floodplain of the Tigris at Kut al Imara continuing presence of leopards. has found no evidence of leopards in in Iraq (Harrison 1968). A number of leopards were captured St. Katherine Protectorate or elsewhere in the wild between 1997 and 2003 and in Sinai (Hussam El Alqamy, personal Panthera pardus nimr subsequently acquired by the National communication February 2006). As Harrison (1968) accounts, Hemrich Wildlife Research Centre (NWRC), Taif Nowell & Jackson (1996) recorded and Ehrenberg’s (1833) Felis nimr was and other private collections. However, P. p. jarvisi as being in Sinai and extend- based principally on an Arabian skin Judas et al. (2006) suggest that all, with ing east to the Judean desert. However, from the ‘mountains in the vicinity of the possible exception of a young male Ilani (1990) who radio-tracked leopards Qunfida, Asir, Saudi Arabia’ and Pocock in 1997, were captured in Yemen. in the late 1970s and early 1980s report- (1932), nearly 100 years later, proposed In conclusion, irrefutable evidence ed that the leopards of the Judean desert that this form might occur on both sides that leopards still occur in the Kingdom and Negev Highlands were neither P. p. of the . However, Harrison, is lacking. The last substantiated record jarvisi or P. p. tulliana but resembled who had access to additional informa- appears to have been the two closest P. p. nimr. Shoemaker (1997) tion, did not agree and considered the S. found dead in 1999 near the Yemen bor- states that surveys conducted in Decem- Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr, der. ber 1992 produced a maximum esti- as distinct and that any extension across mate of 8-10 leopards. Recent estimates the Red Sea was doubtful. Republic of Yemen based on molecular scatology are of a Sanborn & Hoogstraal (1953) reported minimum of a male and two females in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the species was scarce but wide- the Judean Desert and four males and Harrison (1968) reported specimens spread while Harrison (1968) reports one female in the Negev Highlands (Pe- only from the (where the on several specimens of leopard from rez et al. 2006). type specimen was obtained) that run the mountains around Aden and Bei- southeast towards Yemen. He consid- han. Obadi (1993) reports the killing of ered specimens from the Hajaz (to the leopard during the late 1970s and early There are numerous reports of this sub- north-west) to be P. p. jarvisi. However, 1980s in the area of Lodar northeast of species in Syria, Palestine and Jordan later Harrison & Bates (1991) referred Aden. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to just one subspecies, P. p. nimr, for the Al Jumaily et al. (2006) provide de- (Harrison 1968). In Jordan records come leopards of the Hajaz and the Asir. tails of post-1990 records for five broad from north of Aqaba, south of Petra and In 1982 a live-leopard was seen in clusters from areas in the north close Wadi Zarqa Ma’en (Hardy 1947) and the Wadi Hiswa in the Asir (Gasperetti et to the Saudi border to the south in the most recent report was in 1987 (Qumsi- al. 1985), while Nader (1989) reported Mahra Governorate and close to the yeh et al. 1993). In Nowell & Jackson on killings of leopards and the collec- Oman border. However, most capture (1996) P. p. tulliana is considered as the tion of leopard remains in the 1970s records are from the area of Al Wada’a Anatolian leopard and only occurring in and 1980s and concluded that if they about 120 km north of the capital where western Turkey. Harrison (1968) reports remain in the Kingdom they would be Lagrot & Lagrot (1999) also reported this subspecies in the Galilee area close in the Asir mountains. One year later signs of leopard as well as captures. A

CAT News Special Issue 1 – Arabian Leopard  from Masafi joined the collection at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Ara- bian Wildlife, but has not par- ticipated in the breeding programme. A survey in 1995 found tracks of leopards at one site and stated that there may be 20 ‘or far less’ adults in the mountains (Stuart & Stuart 1995). A survey in the Emirate of Ras al- Khaimah in 1999 and 2000 found some signs of leopard but were not confirmed by camera-traps deployed at the same time (Llewellyn-Smith 2002). There is a report of a leopard being killed on the UAE side of the in February 2001 (EPAA 2003) but pho- tographs or carcass remains seem to be unavailable. Figure 1 shows the confirmed, prob- able, possible and historical range of P. p. nimr.

Fig. 1. Former and current (since 1990) distribution information for the leopard on the Arabian Morphological and Molecular Ge- Peninsula. Confirmed records: Confident evidence or hard facts, such as dead specimens (with body, skin, etc. available), photo-trap pictures, and genetic analyses (e.g. from scats). Probable netic Variation records: All records confirmed by any evidence or by a trained person. Possible or unconfirmed Miththapala et al (1996), using molecu- records: All not confirmed or not confirmable reports. This includes especially hearsay and lar genetic analysis, grouped seven puta- direct observations. tive central Asian subspecies including P. p. nimr, P. p. jarvisi, P. p. tulliana and spate of live-captures seems to have in 1976 what is believed to be the last P. p. saxicolor together as the revised commenced in the early 1990s when a leopard was found killed. Specimens subspecies P. p. saxicolor. However, young female was killed in a leopard were recovered from the Musandam their analysis included material from trap and her male offspring taken into peninsula during a spate of killing in only two of the seven subspecies: P. p. captivity in Sana’a from where it was the early 1980s and the last confirmed sindica (Baluchistan leopard) and P. p. sold to the Breeding Centre for Endan- report is of two animals killed in 1997 saxicolor and the latter were represent- gered Arabian Wildlife, Sharjah in 1995 (Spalton et al. 2006b). ed entirely by a zoo-bred population. (Jongbloed 2001). In subsequent years Camera-trap studies have confirmed This assessment was revisited by at least 10 wild caught leopards entered the continuing presence of leopard in Uphyrkina et al. (2001) who used new zoos in Sana’a or Ta’iz (Budd 2003) and Jabal Samhan, Dhofar (Spalton & Wil- genetic methods and additional sam- at least nine were reported to have come lis 1999) where over 200 photographs ples. They had no material from P. p. from the Al Wada’a area (EPAA 2000). of 17 leopards were obtained during the jarvisi or P. p. tulliana and had one sam- Further animals were moved to the years 1997-2000 (Spalton et al. 2006a). ple for P. p. nimr and three new sam- Breeding Centre for Endangered Ara- Ongoing camera-trapping has also con- .ples for P p. saxicolor that had not been bian Wildlife, Sharjah and in 2002 an firmed the presence of 9-11 leopards in used by Miththapala et al (1996). Their was wild caught and presumably Jabals Qara and Qamar that run west work confirmed the proposed subspe- sold to the Al Wathba Cheetah Breeding from Samhan to the Oman-Yemen bor- cies of P. p. saxicolor but tentatively Centre, (Budd 2003). der. A number of these leopards were considered P. p. nimr as a subspecies fitted with GPS satellite collars and writing that ‘populations of P. p. nimr Sultanate of Oman tracked in 2001-2005 (Spalton et al. appear to have been isolated for quite a In the Dhofar Mountains of southern 2006b). long time, accumulating multiple diag- Oman, leopards were known from the nostic sites that distinguish it from any monsoon woodlands of Jabal Qara other subspecies’. The single sample of (Thomas 1932) and a specimen was Harrison (1971) reports the presence of P. p. nimr was obtained from Tel Aviv collected from Jabal Samhan (Harrison leopard from the mountains of the north- University but originated from some- 1968). It was from Jabal Samhan that ern Emirates that border Musandam where in . leopards were captured in 1985 to es- in Oman. In 1986 at least one leopard A study conducted at the Breeding tablish the first group was killed in the same mountains and Centre for Endangered Wildlife, Shar- (Usher Smith 1985). In northern Oman in 1991 a male was caught alive near jah (J. Williamson, pers. comm.) looked a single skin was obtained from the Masafi while in 1992 one was shot in at possible differences between leopard Al Hajar range (Harrison 1968) where Wadi Bih (Jongbloed 2001). The male from northern Arabia (UAE & northern

 2006 Table 1. Specimens of Panthera pardus from the region Location Year Subspecies Alive/ Sex Weight (kg) Overall length Length of Reference dead (mm) tail (mm)

Jordan 1911 tulliana Dead F 2060 750 Harrison 1968

Judean desert 1979 nimr Alive M 29.5 1990 820 Ilani 1980 Judean desert 1979 nimr Alive F 23.5 1920 790 Ilani 1980 Judean desert 1979 nimr Alive F 22.0 1684 754 Ilani 1980

Iran saxicolor Dead 86.0 2130 - Kiabi et al. 2002 Iran saxicolor Dead 66.0 2120 - Kiabi et al. 2002 Iran saxicolor Dead 2040 - Kiabi et al. 2002 Iran saxicolor Dead 1750 - Kiabi et al. 2002 Iran saxicolor Dead 2000 - Kiabi et al. 2002

Iraq 1951 saxicolor Dead M 2591 940 Harrison 1968 Iraq - saxicolor Dead - 2261 914 Harrison 1968

Oman 1947 nimr Dead - 1965 787 Harrison 1968 Oman - nimr Dead - 2007 813 Harrison 1968 Oman 2001 nimr Alive F 18.0 1600 670 OACE unpublished data Oman 2001 nimr Alive M 26.0 1570# 540 OACE unpublished data Oman 2001 nimr Alive M 34.0 2030 850 OACE unpublished data Oman 2001 nimr Alive M 24.0 1820 770 OACE unpublished data Oman 2003 nimr Alive M 18.0* - - OACE unpublished data Oman 2003 nimr Alive F 19.0 - - OACE unpublished data

Saudi Arabia 1955 nimr Dead F 1778 737 Harrison 1968 Saudi Arabia 1963 nimr Dead - 1676 660 Harrison 1968 Saudi Arabia - nimr Dead - 1600 660 Harrison 1968

Sinai 1900 jarvisi Dead - 2108 737 Harrison 1968

* sub-adult; # tail damaged; OACE: Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Oman

Oman) and southern Arabia. These areas this difference was significant for saxi- region. However, for the other subspe- are both mountainous but are separated color and nimr (P = 0.004, df = 17). cies genetic studies have not come close by open desert and gravel plains where Body length of nimr did not vary sig- to resolving the subspecies debate. The the movement of animals between the nificantly between those of the Judean proposal by Miththapala (1996) to lump populations may not have occurred or at desert, Saudi Arabia and Oman. the other species of the region has little best been very rare. The study used both scientific base since it did not include mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA Discussion any material from populations of P. p. techniques but found no evidence to It seems that once three subspecies of nimr, P. p. jarvisi or P. p. tulliana. Simi- support species differentiation between leopard occurred in the region. P. p nimr larly Uphyrkina et al’s (2001) tentative northern and southern leopards. How- is the principal leopard of the region and suggestion of nimr as a subspecies has ever, sample sizes of northern leopards of the Arabian Peninsula in particular. little credibility as it was based on a sin- were small (mitochondrial DNA n=3, P. p. saxicolor is a species of central gle sample. nuclear DNA n=2). Other studies car- Asia whose range extended south to Further genetic studies may help ried out by the King Khaled Wildlife southern Iraq and Jordan. P. p. tulliana resolve subspecies issues. However, Research Center, Saudi Arabia have occurred from Turkey through Syria to while we await such studies we should been inconclusive (Judas et al. 2006) Lebanon. P. p. jarvisi probably never consider the likely reality that P. p. nimr and a study in Oman has just com- occurred but was actually P. p. nimr. is the only surviving subspecies in the menced (Al Ansari et al. 2005). Today P. p. saxicolor and P. p. tulliana region and that it does not occur else- Morphological data is generally seem no longer to occur in the region as where. In the Negev Highlands and Ju- lacking but based on measurements for their ranges have contracted north. dean Desert numbers are very small and overall length and some weight data Genetic studies seem to have estab- in the Arabian Peninsula it is restricted and including specimens from Iran (Ta- lished that P. p. saxicolor is distinct to Yemen and Oman. In Yemen leopards ble 1), P. p. saxicolor seems to be larger from other subspecies. This is sup- face severe persecution in the wild and and heavier than the other three subspe- ported by morphological data that sug- in the last 10 years many have entered cies. While sample sizes for jarvisi (n gests this principally Asian subspecies captive collections in the country and = 1) and tulliana (n = 1) are very small is larger than other subspecies from the elsewhere in the region. However, there

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