In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have extracted DNA from mummified cheetah remains found in Saudi Arabian caves, revealing that at least two subspecies of cheetah once roamed the Arabian Peninsula. This finding could significantly aid in cheetah reintroduction efforts, providing valuable insights into the appropriate subspecies for reintroduction.
When scientists with the National Center for Wildlife in Saudi Arabia were surveying caves in search of wildlife in 2022 and 2023, they came across something unexpected: seven naturally mummified cheetahs in five caves near the northern city of Arar. The remains were largely intact with well-preserved soft tissue and skeletons.
Now, an analysis of three of the mummies’ DNA has revealed something that could help reintroduce cheetahs to the Arabian Peninsula wilderness, researchers say. Cheetahs once inhabited much of Africa and parts of Asia, but now they are found in only 9% of their historic range.
The findings, published in January in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, reveal that at least two subspecies of cheetah once roamed the Arabian Peninsula. The discovery could help reintroduction efforts as scientists now know which cheetah lineages once lived in the peninsula and have evidence of their success in the area.
Reintroducing Cheetahs in Saudi Arabia
Alongside the seven cheetah mummies, the researchers came across skeletal remains of 54 additional cats within the caves. The study authors dated five of them and found the oldest to be about 4,000 years old. Two mummies that were analyzed date from about 130 to 1,870 years ago, according to the study.
Wildlife populations in the Arabian Peninsula were historically diminished by the impact of humans, including overhunting and land-use changes. But now, with large, protected areas in the Middle East, many of the primary threats to cheetahs, such as habitat degradation, human disturbance, and competition with lions, have been reduced.
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