Land Rover has demonstrated its commitment to Arabian Leopard Conservation for the sixth year by supporting the Biosphere Expeditions research project.
Wildlife conservation is rife with challenges, yet concerned organizations often battle to overcome them as a result of underfunding. Corporate assistance goes a long way to filling those financial gaps. In the Middle East, Egypt’s wild cats are in peril, Iran’s are faring no better, but Oman may just have a population of Arabian leopards that can thrive in the Dhofar mountain region.
For the sixth consecutive year, the 4×4 auto manufacture Land Rover has lent valuable support to the Biosphere Expeditions research project, which tracks leopard populations in order to best inform conservation initiatives.
Biosphere Expeditions Project recruited volunteers from around the world to help them scout for leopards in the Dhofar Mountain region. These volunteers were first required to undergo vigorous field and animal identification training.
The expedition, which ran from February 6 to March 4, 2011, was held in concert with Oman’s Office for Conservation for the Environment. It also received significant assistance in the form of supplies from Land Rover offices in both Muscat and Salalah.
Four all terrain Land Rovers were contributed to the project. The LR4 is an award-winning vehicle that was pivotal to allowing conservation officers and volunteers to reach the leopards’ habitat.
Accessories were also provided, including off-road tires, and the Salalah branch was also available for “on-the-ground support,” according to Trade Arabia.
The Biosphere Expedition was led by Dr. Matthias Hammer.
:: Trade Arabia
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image via Hiasinho
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
