An Unusual Scene in Saudi Arabia.. What is a Herd of Deer Doing Inside a Solar Power Station?

- The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a new global precedent in the field of environmental conservation and wildlife, successfully launching a program for the breeding of the endangered sand gazelle within the scope of a solar power station, according to a statement published on the official website of the Saudi Press Agency "SPA" on Monday. After a successful seven-month trial period that concluded in October 2025, the program moved to the actual breeding phase in May 2026 by introducing 38 sand gazelles (33 females and 5 males) to the site of the station.

Scientific estimates indicate that the first births of the herd are expected in December, with numbers projected to increase to around 600 gazelles by 2031. According to the statement, the success of the reintroduction in the reserve, which covers an area of 24,500 square kilometers, requires a founding group of no less than 500 gazelles.

Andrew Zaloumis, the CEO of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority, explained that the goal of the initiative is to build self-sustaining wildlife populations capable of surviving in the wild without the need for continuous human intervention. The statement noted that the station provides a safe environment for breeding, as the surrounding fence protects the animals from predators, while the solar panels help reduce ground surface temperatures by about 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, providing shade and increasing the reserve's capacity for caring for and breeding animals by 15 times.

The station also allows a specialized team of reserve environmental inspectors to continuously monitor the animals' behavior, health, and breeding success. The sand gazelle was chosen for its ecological importance and suitability to the site's nature.

Its size allows it to move freely under the solar panels without affecting the infrastructure. The initiative, named "ReWildingVoltaics," is in collaboration with "Amala Sustainable Energy" (the alliance formed by the "EDF" and "Masdar" groups), along with "SUEZ" and "Korea East-West Power" (EWP), where the station spans an area of 505 hectares and provides 100% clean energy to the "Amala" destination of the Red Sea International Company.