Executive Summary

Understanding the diverse ecosystems at our destinations and helping wildlife to thrive there is a vital part of Red Sea Global’s ethos of responsible development and regenerative tourism. The following report contains a wealth of new research and builds on the findings of our initial environmental baseline survey in 2021 (the largest ever conducted by a private developer). This report expands the scope and scale of the research area to include our newest destination Amaala as well as The Red Sea, so it provides a more holistic and comprehensive view of the entire region under development.

The study focuses primarily on categories of wildlife that we see in the greatest abundance and which we consider to be priorities for protection and enhancement. These categories are namely coral reef fish and their habitats, birds, and megafauna.

Key findings in the report include:

Our survey teams spotted several endangered and vulnerable species of reef fish at Amaala, while coral cover and fish biomass at The Red Sea showed little change from 2021

• Although much smaller in area than TRS, Amaala contains many impressive reefs, with coral cover at Amaala averaging 21.5% within reef habitats.

• 193 fish species were recorded during the 69 Amaala surveys; the most diverse families were Wrasse (36 species) and Damselfish (24 species).

• Amaala surveyors encountered two endangered reef fish species, the Sky Emperor and Humphead Wrasse, as well as four vulnerable species: Bumphead parrotfish; Harlequin filefish and two species of Coral grouper.

• Reef sharks were seen more frequently at Amaala (12 of 69 sites) than at TRS (six of 82 sites). All the sharks that the coral reef team saw during its in-water surveys this year were White-tip reef sharks (Trianodon obesus), which are generally considered not dangerous to people.

• The re-surveys of core monitoring sites at The Red Sea (82 of the 280 sites surveyed for the 2021 baseline) showed only small changes in coral cover and fish biomass between years.

Ospreys, Lesser crested terns and Bridled terns are among our island bird species that are reproducing successfully

• Surveyors counted 2,129 nests belonging to seven species in Amaala, and they documented more than 25,000 nests of 11 species in our second year of monitoring island bird populations at TRS.

• Two Osprey nests occupied by breeding pairs were found at Amaala on An Numan Island, with both pairs having successfully fledged all seven of their total number of chicks by the second visit. Two additional nests occupied by breeding pairs were found on the islands of Nabgiyah and Awandia.

• In addition to Ospreys, breeding pairs or colonies of six other species of birds were discovered at Amaala, with the most abundant species being Lesser crested terns and Bridled terns.

Both destinations contain critically important breeding grounds for endangered species

• Our teams counted 74 Hawksbill and 145 Green sea turtle nesting attempts at Amaala and 251 Hawksbill and 613 Green turtle nesting tracks at The Red Sea. Around half of such attempts generally lead to successful nests, so based on typical nesting events per female per season, we estimate that there were 19 actively nesting Hawksbill females and 40 actively nesting Green turtle females at Amaala. At TRS, we estimate that 69 nesting Hawksbill females and 173 nesting Green turtle females were active this year.

• We observed 17 Sooty falcon breeding pairs at Amaala and 48 breeding pairs at TRS.

• Multiple sightings of juvenile Halavi guitarfish suggest that TRS contains important nursery habitats for this critically endangered species.

Orcas made an exceptional appearance

• A pair of Orcas (killer whales) were obsereved in the Amaala area. This species is a rare visitor to the Red Sea, with fewer than 10 sightings reported previously in the region. The observation at Amaala is by far the northernmost sighting we are aware of for this species in the Red Sea.

We improved our grasp of the potential for seagrasses to sequester carbon

• Our team conducted seagrass rapid assessment surveys at 250 locations across The Red Sea and Amaala.

• Of the 12 seagrass species found anywhere in the Red Sea basin, 10 have been encountered at TRS and seven at Amaala.

• Larger species such as Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii and, especially, Thalassodendron ciliatum, contribute to substrate stabilization and sediment accumulation, and hence to enhanced carbon sequestration. These species have extended root systems that trap sediment and allow them to withstand wave action in mud substrate.

For Red Sea Global to manage and enhance The Red Sea and Amaala habitats, we must understand patterns and disentangle the dynamics of different environmental factors such as seawater temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH over time and space. Our research team has deployed advanced technologies to capture crucial data on an ongoing basis to build a more detailed picture of environmental trends. These technologies include the recording of multiple physical, chemical, and biotic variables in situ alongside remotely sensed (satellite) data for larger areas.

Other examples of continual monitoring include our equipping of 11 adult Sooty falcons with GPS tags so that we can better understand their habitat use and hunting grounds and ultimately reduce threats to this important and vulnerable species. We also attached ‘satellite tags’ to three Hawksbill turtles that we recently rehabilitated and released back where they had been found. Information sourced via the tags will help us understand the turtles’ key foraging and use areas and support regional and global conservation of this critically endangered species.

The full report that follows delves more deeply into the top-level findings outlined here. It explains the methodology used to gather and analyze the data and provides insight from our expert scientific teams. This research not only informs Red Sea Global’s practice of regenerative development but serves as a reminder of the importance of the natural habitats in which we operate and of the vast array of wild creatures that live along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. As such, these findings contribute important understanding for local stakeholders as well as for the global scientific community and worldwide conservation efforts.