Land Rover, the premium and luxury 4x4 automotive manufacturer, has for the sixth consecutive year supported Biosphere Expeditions to continue its commitment to conservation in the Middle East.

The Biosphere Expeditions research project, which ended recently, aims to bridge the gap between conservation scientists and the wider public. The team, led by Dr Matthias Hammer, continued its pursuit of the Arabian leopard with the support of the all terrain Land Rover, the multiple award-winning LR4.

Additionally, the expedition vehicles were outfitted with Land Rover accessories and off road tyres at the Mohsin Haider Darwish’s Land Rover Sales & Service facility in Muscat.  On-the-ground support was also provided by Mohsin Haider Darwish’s Land Rover Sales & Service facility in Salalah.

Land Rover supplied four LR4s and a range of equipment useful for the expedition to search for the Arabian leopard, which resides amidst the stunning backdrop of Oman’s Dhofar mountains. The Arabian leopard is the last of the big cat species that remains in the GCC and previous years’ expeditions have demonstrated that it may well have a successful habitat and lifestyle based on the presiding ecosystem albeit with only a handful of individuals.

In conjunction with the Office for Conservation of the Environment, the 2011 project focused on an area close to Salalah to establish the continuing existence of the Arabian leopard.

The expedition in Dhofar commenced on February 6 and ended on March 4, with volunteers from across the world supporting the initiative. Volunteers underwent intense training on field and animal identification training, before venturing out to track and record signs of the Arabian leopard’s presence.

“Land Rover continues to be a staunch supporter of conservation efforts globally and in the GCC and it is an honor to be able to support excellent initiatives carried out by the Biosphere Expeditions team,” stated Robin Colgan, managing director, Jaguar Land Rover Menap.-TradeArabia News Service