Group Launches Bid To Save Arabian Leopards

No more than 100 Arabian leopards are believed to remain in the wild, a conservation group said Thursday as it released a video to raise funds for a captive breeding program.

The Arabian leopard lives in a region stretching from the Negev Desert in Israel to the mountain ranges of northern Arabia and the Asir mountains in Somalia.

Hunted for its precious skin, the beige, spotted leopard is also dying because the ibex and gazelles it feeds on have become scarce. Goats brought in by farmers 20 years ago have devoured the sparse desert vegetation.

“One look into the eyes of an Arabian leopard, even if it is only on film, will convince people that here is one of God’s creatures that deserves to live,” said Maricjke Jogbloed, founder of the Dubai-based Arabian Leopard Trust.