140+ Spiny-Tailed Lizards Released in Royal Reserve

More than 140 Egyptian spiny-tailed lizards have been released across several sites inside King Khalid Royal Reserve in the Riyadh region, as part of joint programs to develop wildlife and protect biodiversity in the Kingdom.

The release was carried out by the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife. The target sites inside the reserve were chosen after field assessments of habitat suitability, focusing on natural conditions that help the lizards adapt and settle in the wild over the long term.

Monitoring and follow-up programs are planned after the release to study the lizards' behavior and measure how well they adjust to their new surroundings. The species involved, the Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia), is a desert reptile classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and listed in CITES Appendix II. It has been affected by hunting and illegal trade.

Why it matters

Royal reserves, including King Khalid Royal Reserve and Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve, run active restoration programs to secure spiny-tailed lizard populations, rehabilitate ecosystems, and ease grazing pressure in key habitats. Saudi environmental regulations prohibit hunting of wildlife, including spiny-tailed lizards, with enforcement handled by specialized environmental security forces.

The release forms part of broader national environment and biodiversity strategies aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at increasing populations of endangered and vulnerable species inside royal reserves. For the community, visitors interact with these efforts mainly through nature-reserve visits and guided activities, while capture, release, and monitoring are conducted as specialized conservation operations rather than public programs.

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