The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia along with other countries of the world is celebrating today the International Day for biological diversity with an aim of increasing its awareness and understanding. The United Nations (UN) observes May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity since 2000. The Kingdom is observing the day with over 150 UN member states by holding a variety of events. The Day is marked under the theme of "Protecting Biodiversity in Drylands." In a press statement on the occasion, Dr Abdulaziz Abu Zindada, the Secretary General of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), said the Kingdom is one of the pioneering countries which have attained achievement in the field of biological diversity. He added that NCWCD has declared 16 protected zones throughout the country. "This figure constitutes about about five percent of the Kingdom's total area and about half of the area the NCWCD is planning to protect in line with the international standards," he noted. The NCWCD has successfully resettled a number of local wildlife threatened by extinction, notably Arabian oryx and reem gazelle. Dr Abu Zinada said the NCWCD is currently implementing a project for proliferation of the rare Arabian tiger in cooperation with other Gulf states. Moreover the NCWCD has prepared a draft for the national strategy for the preservation of damp lands, he added.
