RIYADH — The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced the first sighting of the golden jackal within the reserve’s boundaries in Riyadh Region.The authority said the golden jackal’s (Canis aureus) first documented sighting was monitored using camera traps as part of its environmental monitoring program.The program’s method involves placing 103 cameras across diverse habitats within the reserve, in both Riyadh and the Eastern regions.The monitoring results revealed that the field cameras captured images of two golden jackals within the Tanha Oasis. This represents the first confirmed documentation of the species’ presence within the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve and, more broadly, in central Saudi Arabia.The authority noted that the Tanha Oasis features an artificial lake filled with fresh water and is surrounded by native plants, including Sidr and acacia trees, creating an environment that attracts diverse wildlife, including mammals and birds.The use of these camera traps is due to large and medium-sized mammals’ tendency to be evasive, making their sightings and observations extremely rare through traditional methods.
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