Shocking images show illegal killing of rare Arabian Leopards in Lahj

LAHJ, May 31 (YPA) -Shocking images documented the killing of one of the world’s rarest and most endangered wild predators, which lives only in limited areas of Yemen.

The rampant poaching of the Arabian leopards, in the districts of Halimayn and Yafa’a in Lahj Governorate, threatens them with extinction due to the absence of state authorities in these areas since early 2016.

Activists on social media shared several images  showing spotted leopards recently killed in the  two districts, amid a lack of awareness about the importance of preserving this rare species.

Activists from Lahj confirmed that residents of the two districts have recently launched a hunting campaign to kill leopards in the rugged, remote mountainous areas in response to the leopards preying on local livestock.

They explained that the killing of leopards is being carried out without awareness or accountability, similar to the illegal hunting of dozens of Arabian gazelles in Hadramout and Shabwa governorates, driven by inherited local customs without any deterrent measures against the perpetrators.

Activists warned that the rampant poaching of leopards threatens wildlife and could lead to the extinction of this rare global lineage unless immediate action is taken to save the remaining few.

@E.Y.M