Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Launches Middle East’s First Female Sea Ranger Corps

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve announced in a press release today the launch of the Middle East’s first female sea ranger corps, breaking new ground in conservation. Announced on World Ranger Day, the new marine rangers are part of the reserve’s 246-strong ranger team, of which 34% are women, who patrol the reserve’s 170-kilometer Red Sea coastline, alongside their male counterparts and the concerned governmental authorities.
 “Since the reserve’s inception, inclusion of women in the workplace has been a priority, in line with Vision 2030,” said reserve CEO Andrew Zaloumis. “When we recruited the first ranger corps in 2022, we encouraged women to apply. Today, women make up 34% of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve’s ranger force. This is well above the global average of female rangers of 11%.”
 Zaloumis stated that women bring essential skills to conservation. As Saudi Arabia progresses towards the global goal of protecting 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by 2030, the reserve is committed to building the skilled, inclusive ranger teams needed to power conservation in the Kingdom, he added.
 The reserve’s rangers are pivotal to the achievement of its mission to “Rewild Arabia” and the Kingdom-wide goals of the Saudi Green Initiative. Responsible for safeguarding the natural and cultural assets of the reserve, both on land and at sea, while allowing tourists and visitors to experience the reserve safely, their duties include ecological monitoring to inform conservation strategies, supporting animal reintroductions, managing wildlife populations, and overseeing development projects to ensure compliance with environmental and social impact assessments.
 Zaloumis also highlighted that the rangers undergo specialized training, giving them the opportunity to build an impactful career in the rapidly expanding conservation industry that directly contributes to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. As a result, jobs are in demand with over 35,000 applications received to date to be a Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve ranger.
 Reserve Senior Regional Manager Dominique du Toit said the training program highlights the rangers’ dedication and discipline to learn new skills. Since 2022, the reserve’s rangers have undertaken almost 35,000 patrols. Female rangers undertake the same duties as their male counterparts, working in mixed patrol teams across the reserve’s 24,500km² terrestrial section.
 Ruqayyah Awadh AlBalawi has worked as a ranger at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve for two years, joining the reserve as part of the first ranger intake, and is now a qualified sea ranger. “I have discovered a whole new world underwater. I am proud to be part of the first group of women to learn how to swim at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve. I dream of the day when a woman serves as the skipper of the Reserve’s marine patrol boat.”
 Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve’s 3,856km² marine area covers 1.8% of the Kingdom’s territorial waters and is home to 64% of the Kingdom’s coral species, 22% of its fish species, as well as Hawksbill and Green turtle populations, Spinner dolphin, Dugong, Whale shark, and critical gray mangrove ecosystems. The reserve’s marine rangers patrol two custom-designed boats, ensuring the conservation and protection of this vital seascape.