The initial record of your Cheetah in Arabia dates from 1950 which being from the photograph of the skin of your animal shot in Northern Saudi Arabia (1). There have been mentions of tracks and sightings just before that date. Back in 1950, like today people often mistook Cheetah for Leopard or Tiger. These mix up of names are incredibly common as well as quite reputable newspapers can make the error.
Cheetah paintings
You will find just two records for Cheetah in the Southern part of Arabia. One is from Oman as well as the other from Yemen. The Yemen animal would be a ⤘sighting⤙ of an animal in Wadi Mitan, South Yemen in 1963. The Oman record comes from a pet killed by tribesmen in 1977 within the Jibjat section of Dhofar
Perhaps the IUCN Red List on the internet states how the Cheetah painting is regionally extinct inside the Uae and Oman. It states this without showing the species ever actually happened in the Uae and in line with the single Oman record. Inside the comprehensive 1998 Current Status with the Cheetah mention consists of the only Oman specimen but the United Arab Emirates doesnt get a mention as a possible area of former distribution. Holiday in Africa - read more
