WATCH: Endangered Egyptian Vulture Spotted Feeding Chicks For The First Time In Alula

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) AlUla, Saudi Arabia – June 2025: For the first time in the ancient oasis city of AlUla, conservationists have recorded a rare Egyptian vulture feeding its newborn chick in the dramatic cliffs of Sharaan National Park nest with a healthy two- to three-weeks old chick is the first recorded proof of breeding of this species in AlUla and a great symbol of recovery of Sharaan National Park.

Once sacred to the Pharaohs and etched into ancient hieroglyphs, the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is small with white and black plumage, a yellow face, and a distinctive wedge-shaped tail. As clever as it is striking, they are one of the few bird species known to use tools; known to use stones to break into eggs, they have also been observed using sticks to gather and roll wool which they use to line their nests. However, these majestic birds are now listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

Fortunately, AlUla's protected canyons and cliffs, especially within the IUCN Green Listed Sharaan National Park, provide a much-needed sanctuary for this rare breed.

This new successful nest – the first ever recorded in AlUla – signals a win for regional wildlife and a growing future for biodiversity and comprehensive regeneration in this extraordinary desert oasis destination. The breeding population of Egyptian vulture is estimated to be around 50 pairs in Saudi Arabia. In AlUla this year, at least three breeding territories were recorded while extensive research over the last two years indicates a potential population of up to around 10 breeding pairs.

AlUla has emerged as a place where ancient heritage, dramatic geology and nature converge which visitors can experience first-hand by booking their next adventure at experiencealula

About AlUla:

Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km2, includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.

The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.

Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman's conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.

In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open-air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO's memory of the World Register. Also, AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, which has been selected as one of the World's Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO.

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