The Unfenced Desert Towards a strategy for eco ... - Nwrc.gov.sa

from ‘dangerous’ to ‘tasty’; bolded figures are highest ranking categories
for each species.
Animal Dangerous Strong Beautiful Amusing Tasty No
opinion
52
Valid
responses
Baboon 25.6 12.5 10.5 40.3 0.9 10.2 313
Fox 48.9 11.2 10.9 24.9 0.3 3.8 313
Gazelle 3.1 3.3 68.1 6.7 17.0 1.6 329
Hare 1.9 2.5 43.9 8.5 41.4 1.8 319
Houbara 3.3 1.6 51.3 16.0 21.9 5.9 306
Hyena 40.5 21.9 7.2 14.1 2.6 13.7 306
Jerboa 2.9 1.3 26.0 27.3 20.1 22.4 304
Leopard 56.4 32.1 4.0 5.6 0.0 1.9 321
Oryx 4.3 5.6 57.8 17.4 10.6 4.3 322
Snake 82.7 5.7 3.1 6.9 1.3 0.9 318
Wolf 73.3 18.4 4.3 3.1 0.3 0.6 326
Summary
Saudi students prefer to spend their leisure time socialising and in physical pursuits, and
show an interest in outdoor recreation and wildlife. However, for over half the students,
much of their direct contact with native wildlife is likely to be through hunting - which
may explain the biased attitudes to key species. Development of public access to wildlife
protected areas could be an important way to increase favourable exposure of students to
native animals and their habitats, and would provide opportunities for improved
environmental education programmes in schools to incorporate a practical component.
On the basis of these findings, tourism development of protected areas in Saudi Arabia
should:
• ensure that wild animals can be readily viewed in any given site; native ungulates in
particular would be an important attraction;
• take care that such viewing is accompanied by professional interpretation delivered
by trained guides;
• provide facility for such viewing to be conducted on foot or by suitable vehicle, as
circumstances dictate, but where possible the option of marked trails or guided walks
should be made available;