Andrew Zaloumis: Conservation & Rewilding at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve

Andrew Zaloumis's Conservation Journey

• 💡 Andrew Zaloumis grew up immersed in nature, traveling across southern Africa with his conservationist father, which instilled a deep passion for the environment.
• 🔑 His early career involved human rights and environmental issues, working with indigenous communities and leading to the establishment of South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
• 🤝 Zaloumis worked closely with Nelson Mandela, who championed conservation by making a landmark decision against mining in iSimangaliso, setting a precedent for conservation as an economic driver.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Vision

• 🚀 Zaloumis was drawn to the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve (PMSBR) due to its vast, wild landscape and 15 intact ecosystems, from mountains to the deep ocean, a unique feature in the Middle East.
• 🌍 The reserve is unfenced, serving as a vital wildlife corridor linking NEOM, the Red Sea, and AlUla, aiming to create a mega conservation area of global significance.
• 🎯 PMSBR's goal is to restore and protect nature, balancing environmental preservation with eco-tourism and community benefits, with 58% of the area zoned for hard conservation.

Rewilding & Technology for Conservation

• 🌱 The reserve is actively engaged in rewilding efforts, reintroducing locally extinct species like the Persian onager and the sand cat, and restoring habitats for long-lived juniper trees and magpies.
• 🧬 A key challenge is ensuring genetic diversity for viable populations, involving collaboration with zoos to introduce new bloodlines for species like the onager.
• 🛰️ Advanced technology and AI are crucial, including satellite collars for tracking vultures and sand cats, tiny tags for turtles revealing new feeding behaviors, and camera traps for monitoring wildlife.
• 💡 A "smart system" uses drones and scientific data to provide a live dashboard of the reserve, though it emphasizes that technology is an aid, not a replacement for "boots on the ground."

Community-Centric Conservation

• 👩‍👧‍👦 PMSBR prioritizes local community involvement, with 34% of its rangers being female Saudi nationals, a first in the Middle East, including newly launched female sea rangers.
• 🗣️ The impact of female rangers is significant, providing new access to communities and different insights, as highlighted by a local's respect and fear for them.
• 📚 Education programs in schools are combating littering and fostering national pride in nature, alongside local teams actively removing waste.
• 🤝 The reserve values indigenous knowledge, demonstrated by consulting local Bedouins for crucial information on water flow that engineers could not provide.

Future & Impact of the Reserve

• 🏞️ The long-term vision for PMSBR is to have thriving, viable populations of all historical game, making the reserve a "seed pool" where life springs from.
• 🗺️ The Wadi Al-Disah area, with its permanent water and unique geology, is on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage site list due to its scenic beauty, ecosystems, and human history spanning 12,000 years.
• 🇸🇦 The ultimate goal is for visiting PMSBR to be on every Saudi's bucket list, fostering national pride and ensuring the reserve's sustainability through local engagement and appreciation.