Emma Gallacher
I lead the Reintroduction Sector at the Royal Commission for AlUla, coordinating native species reintroduction programmes across AlUla's Nature Reserves. My work centers on preparing habitats, wildlife populations, and communities for the reintroduction of the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), integrating wildlife reintroduction, monitoring, and human-wildlife coexistence initiatives to secure community support for carnivore recovery. The programme has released over 1,700 native ungulates to date, supporting prey base restoration ahead of Arabian leopard reintroduction.
Since joining RCU in 2017, I have contributed to the Arabian leopard programme growth from early strategic foundations to an integrated, landscape-scale recovery plan, supporting the creation of the Arabian Leopard Fund and building conservation partnerships, including IUCN, Cape Leopard Trust and Panthera. I coordinated a comprehensive Arabian leopard survey and habitat suitability modelling across the species' historical range in Saudi Arabia and contributed to IUCN Green Status Assessment as well as Regional and National Action Plans.
