Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Stargazers gather for first Saudi astrotourism event in royal reserve

Stargazers gather for first Saudi astrotourism event in royal reserve

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority held its first astrotourism event in Al-Tubayq recently, with astronomy enthusiasts gathering to watch the convergence of the Moon and Jupiter.

The event was held in partnership with the University of Tabuk, and forms part of the authority’s plan to showcase the country’s unspoilt natural habitats for eco- and astro-tourists.

Away from urban light pollution, the stargazers were able to watch the celestial movements through telescopes and take photographs, while university staff provided information on the event at the King Salman Royal Nature Reserve.

Abdullah Al-Amer the KSRNR's CEO (left) and Hany El-Shaer the Regional Director of the West Asia Office of the IUCN are signing a MoU to implement the best management methods for natural reserves to enable them to protect their habitats.


Recently, the KSRNR and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, signed an agreement to manage and protect the area in line with global conservation standards.

The KSRNR, located in the north of the Kingdom, is an ancient heritage destination. It stretches over 130,700 square kilometers toward the Northern Borders region and incorporates three existing conservation areas: Harrat Al-Harrah, Al-Tubayq and Al-Khanfah.

The reserve contains more than 280 animal species and is home to some 450 plants, with an array of landscapes including sand dunes, mountains and valleys.

Over the past two years, the KSRNR has launched several initiatives to rehabilitate degraded environments by cultivating local wild plant species on the lands of the Reserve. In the photo, wild trees appear growing at the foot of Al-Mosamma mountain - 70 km south of Hail.


Speaking at a two-day event with the IUCN earlier this month, Abdullah Al-Amer, CEO of KSRNR, said: “The nature reserve’s global measures and standards seminar highlights the importance of applying the best global standards adopted by the IUCN, as well as how to enable and measure performance in reserve areas.”

Al-Amer told Arab News the Kingdom established The Royal Reserve Council and published its National Environment Strategy in 2018 to protect the country’s wildlife in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The agreement with the IUCN includes conservation management, education initiatives, exhibitions, and exchange of knowledge.

The authority also announced its commitment to joining the Green List of the IUCN, a global certification program that aims to ensure conservation efforts align with international standards, and include the involvement of local communities.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×