What is the largest cat native to the Arabian Peninsula?

The largest cat native to the Arabian Peninsula is the Arabian leopard.

The Arabian leopard is a regional subspecies of leopard, commonly identified as Panthera pardus nimr. Although it is the smallest recognized leopard subspecies, it is still the largest wild feline native to Arabia. Other native cats, including the caracal, Arabian wildcat, and sand cat, are considerably smaller.

Historically, Arabian leopards ranged through mountainous areas of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and nearby regions. Today, the best-known surviving population is in Oman’s Dhofar Mountains, while the species has disappeared or become extremely rare across much of its former range.

This cat is often confused with larger African or Asian leopard populations, but those are not native to the Arabian Peninsula. Habitat loss, declining prey, livestock conflict, illegal capture, and hunting have driven the Arabian leopard to the edge of extinction. Recent estimates place the remaining wild population at roughly 100–120 animals, mainly in Oman and Yemen.