The discovery of seven cheetahs naturally mummified in caves in northern Saudi Arabia is renewing expectations regarding the possible reintroduction of the species to the Arabian Peninsula. The finding, announced in the scientific journal Communications Earth & Environment, indicates that at least two subspecies of these large felids inhabited the region before their local extinction.
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) once occupied vast areas of Africa, Western Asia, and the Southern regions, but today survive in only about 9% of their historic distribution. In Asia, the decline is even more pronounced, with an estimated 98% reduction. In the Arabian Peninsula, the species is believed to have been extinct since the 1970s.
Until now, it was thought that only the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) lived in Saudi Arabia. However, this subspecies is critically endangered, with only a small known wild population, restricted to Iran, which has fueled doubts about the viability of reintroduction programs.
The team led by Ahmed Boug identified, between 2022 and 2023, seven cheetahs naturally mummified and the skeletal remains of another 54 individuals in five caves near the city of Arar. Dating of some of the remains indicates that the oldest are about 4,000 years old, while the mummified specimens date to approximately 1,870 and 130 years ago.
The researchers were also able to extract complete genome sequences from three of the mummified individuals, a feat unprecedented in large felids preserved naturally. Genetic analysis revealed that the most recent specimen is closest to the Asiatic cheetah, but the two oldest specimens — including the oldest dated — show greater similarity to the Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki).
According to the authors, these results demonstrate that different subspecies of the Asiatic cheetah could be considered in future reintroduction efforts in Saudi Arabia. The existence of greater historical genetic diversity could make rewilding programs more viable. The study further suggests that ancient DNA analysis, from similar specimens, could play a decisive role in planning the reintroduction of other locally extinct species.
