Saudi Arabia is a large country located on the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. It has such diverse habitats as mountains, deserts, hills, valleys, volcanoes, lakes, and islands. Each area has its own unique selection of animals.
Keep reading to explore Saudi Arabia’s wildlife.
The Official National Animal of Saudi Arabia
The camel is the national animal of Saudi Arabia. Why was the camel selected as the national animal? Called the “ship of the desert,” the camel has been used for transportation and as a working animal for centuries. Specifically, the Arabian or Dromedary camel – the one-humped camel – is the national animal.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s most sought-after wildlife can be very elusive. If you want to see Hamadryas baboons, they can be found in the Hijaz Mountains. One region of these mountains, the Asir Mountains, is the stronghold of the rare and elusive Arabian leopard.
Arabian oryx, once locally extinct, were released in a fenced-in reserve called the Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area. Along with the mountain gazelle and goitered gazelle, they can also be found in the ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid protected area.
The cute sand cat, no large than your average housecat, can only be seen in the western deserts.
A unique wading bird called a hamerkop nest in the Wadi Turabah Nature Reserve. This is the only place in the Arabian Peninsula that this bird can be found.
The Most Dangerous Animals in Saudi Arabia Today
A number of dangerous venomous snakes live in Saudi Arabia. The most dangerous snakes are in the viper family. These include the carpet viper, sawscale viper, horned viper, adder or common viper, and false-horned viper. Some emit a rattling sound as a warning when you get too close. The best thing to do if you hear this is to stop moving and back away.
Although these snakes can be harmful to humans, they do not want to bite you. There have been only around 5 reported viper bites in the country during the past 20 years.
Endangered Animals in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a fragile ecosystem with many endangered species. The Arabian leopard, for example, has been considered critically endangered since 1996. In 2006, it was estimated that there were only around 200 of these leopards surviving in the wild.
The Arabian wolf is also an endangered species. Farmers have hunted the wolf because it may stalk their livestock. Only about 2,000 to 3,000 Arabian wolves exist in the wild.
Hunting and other human activities have caused the local extinction of some of Saudi Arabia’s animals. These include the striped hyena, honey badger, and golden jackal. The Arabian oryx was also hunted to extinction in the wild, but conservation efforts and breeding programs allowed it to be reintroduced in a fenced reserve.
The Flag of Saudi Arabia
The flag of Saudi Arabia has a white sword and text on a solid green background. The Shahada, the Islamic creed, is written on the flag. In Arabic characters, they say: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ الله or “lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāh, muhammadun rasūlu-llāh” which translates to “There is no deity but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”