A Framework for the Conservation of the Arabian Leopard
Urs Breitenmoser1, David Mallon2 and Christine Breitenmoser-Würsten1
1 KORA, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri/Bern, Switzerland
A Framework for the Conservation of the Arabian Leopard. The Arabian leopard is Critically Endangered according to IUCN Red List criteria. To secure its survival, a strong partnership between the range coun- tries, but also between governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations, and scientists is needed. Steps in the strategic planning for the conservation of the Arabian leopard include (1) compilation of base- line information (status reports), (2) definition of common goals and activities at the range level (conserva- tion strategy), and (3) the definition of tasks and actions for each range country (action plans). The Status Reports published in this issue form the basis for the development of a range-wide Conservation Strategy. The Strategy should be developed in a participative process using a logistic framework approach, with all relevant governmental agencies of the range countries, important non-governmental organisations, and the experts involved. The Strategy should express the common will to save the Arabian leopard and provide guidance for the definition and implementation of conservation action in the countries, which are the ma- nagement units. Consequently, it will be of outstanding importance that the political authorities in charge of nature conservation in each range country endorse the Conservation Strategy.
Δϛήѧη ϡΎѧϴϗ Ϧѧϣ ΪѧΑϻ ϩ˯ΎѧϘΑ ϥΎϤπϟϭ .ΝήΤϟ ΪϳΪϬΘϟ ϊοϭ ϲϓ ϲΑήόϟ ήϤϨϟ Ϊόϳ ˬΔόϴΒτϟ ϥϮμϟ ϲϟϭΪϟ ΩΎΤΗϻ ήϴϳΎόϣ ΐδΤΑ Δ ѧτΨϟ.˯ΎϤϠόϟϭ ϦϤπѧΘΗ ΔϴϣϮϜΤϟ ήϴϏ ΕΎϤψϨϤϟϭ ΔϴϣϮϜΤϟ ΕΎϬΠϟ ϦϴΑ ϥϭΎόΘϟ ϥϮϜϳ ϥ ΐΠϳϭ ˬΎϬϴϓ ζϴόϳ ϲΘϟ ϝϭΪϟ ϦϴΑ Ϊ ѧϳΪΤΗ( )2 ˬ(Ϧϫήѧϟ ϊѧοϮϟ ήϳέΎѧϘΗ) ΕΎѧϣϮϠόϣ ΓΪѧϋΎϗ ϒϴϨμѧΗϭ ϊѧϤΟ ( )1 ΔѧϴΗϵ ΕϮτΨϟ ϲΑήόϟ ήϤϨϟ ϥϮμϟ ΔϴΠΗήΘγϹ ΔѧϟϭΩ ϞѧϜϟ ϞѧϤόϟ ΕϮѧτΧϭ ϡΎѧϬϤϟ ΪѧϳΪΤΗ ( )3 ϭ (ϥϮμϟ ΔϴΠϴΗήΘγ·) έΎθΘϧϻ ϝϭΩ ϯϮΘδϣ ϰϠϋ ΔτθϧϷϭ ΔϛήΘθϤϟ ϑΪϫϷ ϥϮѧλ ΔϴΠϴΗήΘѧγ· ήϳϮѧτΘϟ αΎγϷ ˬέΪλϹ άϫ ϲϓ ΓέϮθϨϤϟ ˬϦϫήϟ ϊοϮϟ ήϳέΎϘΗ ϞΜϤΗ .(ϞϤόϟ ςτΧ) έΎθΘϧϻ ϝϭΩ Ϧϣ ΕΫ ΔѧϴϣϮϜΤϟ ΕΎѧϬΠϟ ϊѧϴϤΟ ϊѧϣ ˬΔϴϘτϨϣ ΔϴϠϜϴϫ ΎϬϴϓ ϡΪΨΘδΗ ΔϛήΘθϣ ΕϮτΧ ϲϓ ΔϴΠϴΗήΘγϹ ήϳϮτΗ ΐΠϳϭ ˬϯΪϤϟ Δόγϭ ΔѧΒϏήϟ Ϧѧϋ ΔϴΠΗήΘγϹ ήΒόΗ ϥ ΐΠϳϭ .ήϣϷΎΑ ϦϴϴϨόϤϟ ˯ήΒΨϟϭ ΔϤϬϤϟ ΔϴϣϮϜΤϟ ήϴϏ ΕΎϤψϨϤϟϭ έΎθΘϧϻ ϝϭΩ ϲϓ Δϗϼόϟ ϚϟάΑϭ .ΓέΩϹ ΕΪΣϭ ϞΜϤΗ ϲΘϟϭ ˬϝϭΪϟ ϩάϫ ϲϓ ϥϮμϟ ΔϴϠϤϋ ίΎΠϧϭ ΪϳΪΤΘϟ ϪϴΟϮΘϟ ϡΪϘΗ ϥϭ ϲΑήόϟ ήϤϨϟ ΫΎϘϧϹ ΔϛήΘθϤϟ .ϥϮμϟ ΔϴΠΗήΘγ· ϰϠϋ ΔϟϭΩ Ϟϛ ϲϓ ΔΌϴΒϟ ΔϳΎϤΣ ϰϠϋ ϊϗϮϳ ϥ ϢϬϤϟ Ϧϣ ϥϮϜϴγ
1. Introduction The Arabian leopard (Panthera par- List, with the justification: “The Leo- first need to compile baseline data. At dus nimr) once roamed throughout the pard population of the Arabian peninsu- the 2003 meeting in Sharjah, the Arabi- mountains and forests of the Arabian la is estimated to number approximately an Leopard Working Group decided to Peninsula, from the Hajjar Mountains of 100 mature individuals, with a declining review all information available and to south-east Arabia, mountains of Dhofar, trend, and no subpopulation estimated to publish country-based Status Reports through Hadhramaut to the hills north contain more than 50 mature individu- (this issue). of Aden north along the mountains of als” (www.redlist.org). The Conserva- The conclusions from the Reports western Yemen and along the Asir and tion Workshop for the Fauna of Arabia are not at all reassuring. The distribu- and Hijaz ranges to the Jordan Valley organised annually by the Environment tion range of the Arabian leopard is and the Negev. During the 20th century, & Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) extremely fragmented. Only a few po- the distribution area and population size of Sharjah has put the Arabian leopard pulation nuclei remain, scattered along decreased at an alarming rate, though high on its agenda from the very first the rugged mountains and wadis in the largely unnoticed. Although the present meeting in 2000. Since then, the Cap- south and west of the peninsula. Recent distribution range is highly fragmented tive Breeding Programme co-ordinated observations are confirmed only for and was already discontinuous in his- by the Sharjah Breeding Centre for En- three localities: the very small nuclei toric times, there is good evidence that dangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW) in the Negev desert, one of unknown the leopard on the Peninsula including has made remarkable progress (Fig. size in Wada’a north of Sana’a, and the Negev and Sinai belong to the same 1; Edmonds et al. 2006), securing the the largest and best-preserved popula- subspecies (see Spalton & Al Hikmani survival of the taxon in captivity. The tion in the Dhofar mountains in south 2006). Since 1996, the IUCN/SSC Cat ultimate goal is however the conserva- Oman, probably stretching into eastern Specialist Group has listed P. p. nimr as tion of the Arabian leopard in the wild. Yemen. But even the largest remnant Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red To get started on this difficult road, we population in south-west Oman cannot
44 2006 be considered viable in the long-term, given its small total size and isolation. Several spots in the Al-Hijaz mountains of Saudi Arabia and in Yemen which had known occurrence in the 1980s and early 1990s, but with no recent obser- vations, remain to be surveyed (Al Ju- maily et al. 2006; Judas et al. 2006). An exchange of individuals between the remaining nuclei seems unlikely. The quality of the information available at present does not allow for population estimation; but we believe that the ef- fective population size is clearly below 250 individuals. Urgent conservation action is re- quired, but is impeded by the fact that so little information on the Arabian le- opard is available. Indeed, the only po- pulations studied and monitored in the field are those in Oman (Spalton & Wil- Fig. 1. Arabian leopard in the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife, Sharjah. The lis 1999) and in the Negev (Ilani 1980; Arabian leopard is one of the smallest and most endangered leopard subspecies worldwide 1990; Perez et al. 2006). No systematic (Photo U. Breitenmoser). research has been done on threats, con- flicts and human attitudes, and yet, awa- reness building, education, and capacity nitored. The fate of all other nuclei is at 3. Strategic conservation planning building are imperative. To develop a stake. One small population is nowhere To secure the survival of the Arabian sensible conservation action plan and to near sufficient to secure the survival of leopard according to IUCN Red List set priorities in such a situation is not the Arabian leopard in the wild. Genetic criteria is one aspect of its conservati- easy; everything needs to be done at the impoverishment or catastrophic events on. Beyond this, the leopard is the top same time and with limited understan- could wipe it out. To down-list the Ara- predator of the regional eco-system, ding, awareness and funding. bian leopard from Critically Endange- and plays an important role as an um- Nevertheless, it is necessary to pro- red to Endangered according to IUCN brella and flagship species (see Simber- ceed in a careful and well-planned way Red List criteria, the effective popula- loff 1998). Such a view implies that the in an emergency situation. The Status tion size must be over 250 individuals, Arabian leopard should be conserved in Reports provide baseline information that is a total population of about 500 all suitable habitats of its historic ran- for the next steps in planning, which leopards. To regain the status of Vulne- ge as an integral part of the eco-system, will be (1) the development of a ran- rable, the population must increase to and that populations must be maintai- ge-wide conservation strategy for the an effective size of 2,500 individuals, ned or restored in all range countries. Arabian leopard, and, building on this which will only be possible through a For effective international co-operati- general strategy, (2) country-based ac- considerable expansion of the presently on, we need strong partnership and an tion plans. In this paper, we outline the occupied range. This is impossible for agreement on long-term goals, hence a requirements for and the steps towards any of the present nuclei. A more rea- conservation strategy endorsed by the a comprehensive conservation of this listic scenario is the recovery of seve- national authorities. charismatic top predator of the Arabian ral local populations, which then form The Partnership must include (1) Peninsula. a meta-population along the mountain national governmental organisations, chains of the Arabian Peninsula. First, providing political guidance and re- 2. Scenario for the recovery of the the further decline must be stopped and sponsible for legal aspects (laws on Arabian leopard the remaining nuclei stabilised. This re- nature conservation, protected areas, The first priority is to assure the conti- quires improvement of habitat and prey etc.) and implementation of conservati- nued existence of the Arabian leopard as populations and education of local peo- on actions agreed, (2) non-governmen- a distinct taxon. This is granted through ple. Still, the remnant populations will tal organisations and interest groups, the captive breeding programme (Ed- likely not be strong enough to regain which can support leopard conservation monds et al. 2006). Then, the survival lost areas in the near future. Specific in many ways, e.g. stakeholder involve- of the remaining wild populations must measures might be needed, including ment, education, raising awareness and be secured. The only one with a good reintroduction or restocking using the fundraising, and (3) scientific experts, prognosis is presently the population in captive population as a source. A me- responsible for compiling (biological) Oman. It is the largest occurrence, its aningful merging of in situ and ex situ baseline information, surveys and mo- core zone is a protected area and it is mo- procedures calls for strategic planning. nitoring using adequate methods. In this
CAT News Special Issue 1 – Arabian Leopard 45 Fig. 2. Triangle of Conservation. In conser- vation programmes, the institutions at each of the corners play important, but different roles, which need to be coordinated. Go- vernmental organisations are responsible for legislation, law enforcement, manage- ment, and education; scientists provide (ecological) baseline knowledge and do the monitoring; non-governmental organi- sations are often the front-runners of con- servation projects, which raise awareness, Fig. 3. Arabian Leopard Working Group at the 2006 CAMP meeting in Sharjah, UAE (Photo provide first funding and education. U. Breitenmoser).
“triangle of conservation” (Fig. 2), each activities. The political authorities of ved methods must be an integral part partner plays a different and important the range countries must endorse the of any conservation programme. On role. The pact does not only include Strategy, so that all implementing agen- one hand, reliable information is fun- agreement on long-term goals and co- cies can act according to the principles damental to development of sound and operation, but also mutual consultati- agreed upon in the Strategy. The Strat- target-driven conservation activities, on, supervision and, whenever needed, egy is developed in a participative pro- and on the other hand, all conservation constructive criticism. cess (Fig. 3) using a logistic framework programmes need careful monitoring Partnership agreement, general approach involving all partners of the allowing for continuous adaptation of goals and common activities are settled “triangle”. The LogFrame (Fig. 4) de- procedures and actions. We still have in a range-wide Conservation Strategy. fines goals, objectives, and actions on considerable gaps in our basic know- The Strategy is a prevailing document the (international) range level and for ledge regarding biology and ecology of providing guidance for on-the-ground overriding activities such as the captive the Arabian leopard and in our under- breeding programme, and it is a binding standing of the threats causing its dec- agreement for the development of more line. More specific information is e.g. Vision specific action plans. needed in the following domains: National Action Plans are tools for (1) Distribution and status of leopards Goal the definition and implementation of the in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Threats target-driven conservation actions ac- distribution nuclei indicated in these Objetives cording to the long-term goals defined two countries (this issue) are mainly in the Strategy. Countries are the ma- concluded from unconfirmed obser- nagement units under a common juris- vations. Sound initial surveys follo- Targets diction, management structure and bud- wed by continuous monitoring must gets. Hence specific assignments must have high priority for all potential be defined and implemented on this le- leopard areas. Activities vel. Action Plans are, like the Strategy, (2) The identification of threats and developed in a participative process in- conflicts are not based on explicit volving all partners and institutions that investigations, but rather on general Fig. 4. Logistic framework pyramid for the will have to implement the plan or will assumptions. To tailor conserva- development of a conservation strategy in a be affected by its implementation, such tion actions specifically for a cer- participative process. The group first formu- as local people or interest groups. Com- tain area, understanding the local lates a common vision and a more concrete pared to the Conservation Strategy, an people’s attitudes towards leopards goal. The identification of threats and the Action Plan is more specific in regard is important. goal allow defining more concrete objecti- to places, procedures, actors, and dead- (3) Depletion of wild prey is believed to ves, targets, and activities. The pyramid rep- be a major reason for the decline of resents also a time scale. The vision descri- lines, and should be regularly revised bes a long-term perspective, the goal a state and adapted. the Arabian leopard, but its diet and to be reached within 10–20 years, and the feeding ecology is not understood. activities finally actions to be done within 4. Research, survey and monitoring A preliminary study by Muir-Wright the next 1–3 years. Research and monitoring using appro- 1999 (quoted in Spalton et al. 2006)
46 2006 leopard’s feeding ecology is of utmost an obligation on their wildlife conserva- importance for any recovery plan. tion and management agencies. Target Monitoring is crucial for the control Yet, the Arabian leopard as the top of success and the adaptive manage- predator of the peninsula will serve as a ment of any conservation programme flagship and umbrella species not only Action (Fig. 5). Many different things can be in the ecological sense of the term. Part- monitored, like size and distribution nership agreements, strategic planning, of the leopard population, dynamics of implementation and monitoring could prey populations, changes in human at- become a model case for many other titudes, etc. Monitoring is a demanding, important co-operative conservation Monitoring time-consuming and expensive task, programmes on the Arabian Peninsula. and a particular challenge in the rugged and remote mountains of the Arabian References Peninsula. Well-planned co-operation Al Jumaily A., Mallon D. P., Nasher A. K. Result and co-ordination between countries and Thowabeh N. 2006. Status of the and agencies can however assist the Arabian leopard in Yemen. Cat News Special Issue 1, 20-25. monitoring through standardisation,
Results<>Objectives Breitenmoser U., Breitenmoser-Würsten calibration and adaptation of methods Ch., von Arx M., Zimmermann F., Mo- Decision according to the principles of stratified linari P., Molinari-Jobin A., Ryser A., monitoring (Breitenmoser et al. 2006). Siegenthaler A., Angst A., Linnell J. and Results = Co-operation between countries and Weber J.-M. 2006. Guidelines for the Objectives institutions and the principle of adaptive Monitoring of Lynx. KORA Report 33, processes go along with reporting. Both 31 pp. End of Project on national and range-wide level, pro- Edmonds J. A., Budd K. J. Vercammen P. gress and failures need to be continuous- and Al-Midfa A. 2006. History of the Arabian Leopard Captive Breeding ly assessed and necessary adaptations Fig. 5. Flowchart for the monitoring of a Programme. Cat News Special Issue 1, conservation project. Monitoring is an im- identified. On an international level, the 40-43. portant component of any conservation ac- annual conservation workshop in Shar- Ilani G. 1980. The leopards of the Judean tivity, not only to compare the (preliminary) jah would offer a perfect forum for the desert. Israel Land and Nature 6, 59-71. results with the pre-defined target, but also review of the progress in implementing Ilani G. 1990. Leopard Panthera pardus in to recognise errors. Most conservation pro- the actions defined in the Conservation Israel. Cat News 12, 4-5. grammes are adaptive processes, needing Strategy and in the Action Plans, and to Judas J., Paillat P., Khoja A. and Boug A. continuous assessment and adjustment. discuss necessary changes. 2006. Status of the Arabian leopard in The monitoring is continued as long as the Saudi Arabia. Cat News Special Issue results do not mach the objectives defined 1, 11-19. 5. Conclusions at the beginning of the project. Perez I., Geffen E. and Mokady O. 2006. The aim of strategic planning in conser- Critically Endangered Arabian leopards vation is to implement on-the-ground Panthera pardus nimr in Israel: estima- conservation actions. The development ting population parameters using mole- of 74 leopards scats collected in Jabal of strategies and plans will not save the cular scatology. Oryx 40, 295-301. Samhan NR found Arabian gazelle Arabian leopard on their own, but ac- Simberloff D. 1998. Flagships, umbrellas, (Gazella gazella) and Nubian ibex (Ca- tions in the field will. The situation of and keystones: is single-species ma- pra nubiana) to be the most important the Arabian leopard is critical, and we nagement passé in the landscape era? prey, followed by Cape hare (Lepus cannot afford to lose time. Nevertheless, Biol.Conserv. 83, 247- 257. Spalton J. A. and Al Hikmani H. M. 2006. capensis cheesmani), rock hyrax, birds, jumping into action without sound ba- The leopard in the Arabian Peninsula Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indi- seline information and without careful – distribution and subspecies status. Cat ca), Ethiopian hedgehog (Paraechinus planning and prioritisation of activities News Special Issue 1, 4-8. aethiopicus), small rodents and insects. may, in the long run, cost a lot of money Spalton J. A. and Willis D. 1999. The status Judas et al. (2006) note that in Saudi and time. In conservation, time is one of the Arabian leopard in Oman: First Arabia gazelles and ibex have become of the most difficult aspects to assess. results of the Arabian leopard survey. rare, but they assume that the still com- We most often do not understand the In Fisher M., Ghazanfar S. A. and Spal- mon hyrax and even sacred baboons dynamics of the processes well enough ton J. A. (eds.). The Natural History of (Papio hamadryas) could be important to estimate how much time we have left Oman: A Festschrift for Michael Gal- lagher. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, pp alternative prey. Obviously, the explo- and how much time we will need. We 147-160. itation of prey of such diverging size, must be prepared to act immediately Spalton J. A., Al Hikmani H. M., Jahdha- distribution, and social set-up must have and to go on for a long time. This re- mi M. H., Ibrahim A. A. A., Bait Said consequences for the leopard’s beha- quires a very firm commitment from all A. S. and Willis D. 2006. Status report viour, distribution, vulnerability to en- partners involved, including the political for the Arabian leopard in the Sultana- vironmental changes, and conflict with authorities that will have to endorse the te of Oman. Cat News Special Issue 1, livestock husbandry. Understanding the Conservation Strategy and hence place 26-32.
CAT News Special Issue 1 – Arabian Leopard 47