Rare leopard in care of SWC in Jazan

The Saudi Wildlife Commission (SWC) received a rare Arabian leopard from the border guards stationed at Al-Harth region in Jazan province after it was seized from a Yemeni national attempting to smuggle the animal. Abdulla Al-Khchermi, SWC representative in the southern region, told Alsharq daily that directives have been issued by the director of the National Wildlife Research Center in Taif (NWRC), Ahmad Al- Bouq, to collect the leopard from border guards at Al-Harth in order to move the creature to NWRC. Al-Khchermi pointed out that the leopard is of African descent and is rare. The leopard was smuggled to Yemen and then to the Kingdom, but a Yemeni smuggler was attempting to smuggled it back to Yemen when he was detained by border officials. Al-Khchermi added traders try to traffic in rare endangered species contravening a Royal decree that prevents such an action. "SWE received various species from several border patrol stations in the southern region recently," said Al-Khchermi, pointing out that some of those animals are infected with diseases and need to be quarantined for health and safety reasons. Source: Arab News