Riyadh – Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has discovered a new species of bat for the Kingdom, Vansonia rueppellii (Rüppell’s bat), increasing the total number of bat species in Saudi Arabia to 32, 18 of which can be found in the Reserve. Bats are considered a keystone species and play an essential role in pollination and insect control.

Working in partnership with KAUST Beacon Development, researchers recorded Vansonia rueppellii (Rüppell’s bat) for the first time in Saudi Arabia in Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in October 2023. This finding was published in the peer reviewed scientific journal Zoology in the Middle East in November 2024. This small bat is a known resident in Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq but had never previously been recorded in Saudi Arabia.

“The discovery of Rüppell’s bat highlights the rich biodiversity found within Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve,” explained CEO Andrew Zaloumis. “The Reserve is home to 18 of Saudi Arabia’s 32 bat species, representing 56% of the Kingdom’s total. Healthy and diverse bat populations are a key indicator of thriving ecosystems. This discovery reflects the Reserve’s continuous ecological restoration efforts. Through our research and conservation collaborations, we are proud to contribute to the Kingdom’s scientific knowledge while sharing findings with the global conservation community.”

Bats can consume up to 40% of their body weight a night in insects, including mosquitoes, thus acting as a natural form of pest control, and mitigating the spread of diseases. Fruit eating bats play a key role in pollination and seed dispersal making them ally in the Kingdom’s restoration projects.

About Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve

One of eight Royal Reserves, the 24,500 km² Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve stretches from the lava plains of the Harrats to the deep Red Sea in the west, connecting NEOM, the Red Sea Project, and AlUla. It is home to PIF’s Wadi Al Disah project and Red Sea Global’s Amaala.

The Reserve encompasses 15 distinct ecosystems. At just 1% of the Kingdom’s terrestrial area and 1.8% of its marine area, it boasts over 50% of the Kingdom’s species, making it one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the Middle East.

The Reserve is committed to restoring and conserving the natural and cultural environment, this includes the reintroduction of 23 historically occurring native species, including the Arabian leopard, cheetah, Arabian oryx and Lappet-faced vulture, as part of a wide-ranging rewilding program.

The Reserve is overseen by the Royal Reserves Council under the chairmanship of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and is fully integrated with Saudi Arabia’s wider sustainability and conservation programs, including the Saudi Green and Middle East Green Initiatives.