King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced the addition of new globally significant bird areas

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has formally declared the inclusion of additional internationally significant bird sites inside its vast boundaries, enhancing its standing as one of the biggest reserves in the world with essential habitats for birds. The Tabarjal and Turaif regions have been successfully certified by the authorities as internationally significant bird habitats, demonstrating their dedication to conservation. It has also extended its reach to include the Aja mountain range and the regions north of Hail, such as Hibran, Arnan, and Al-Musma. With this, Birdlife International has officially recognised five places inside the royal reserve, all of which are globally significant for bird conservation.

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve's official spokesman, Fahad Al-Shuwaier, stated that the reserve's position is deemed vital due to its proximity to regions of significant bird presence, particularly during migration.

According to the government, 290 wild bird species have been registered in the reserve. This accounts for 58% of the 499 bird species that have been documented in the Kingdom. The royal reserve's significant proportion, as stated in the authority's statement, highlights the reserve's critical function in providing habitats for both resident and migratory wild bird species, highlighting the significance of the reserve's location and diversified habitats in attracting a broad variety of bird species.

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve is ideally situated along important avian migration routes worldwide, and it has grown to be an essential stopover for migratory birds flying across continents.Of all the bird species reported in the reserve, 88 percent are migratory birds, with resident birds making up the remaining 12 percent. This ecological balance highlights the reserve's strategic importance as a major stopover point for migrating birds, which greatly aids in the preservation of the area's biodiversity.

The statement claims that even though the royal reserve has a significant amount of biodiversity, 25 different bird species—both migratory and resident—are listed as vulnerable or endangered on the worldwide Red List. This emphasises how urgent it is to protect these threatened species and aid in their reproduction, both of which are essential for maintaining biodiversity worldwide.