First All-Female Sea Ranger Team Launches on Saudi Red Sea Coast

For the first time, women have been deployed as marine rangers along the Red Sea, joining the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve’s 3,856 sq km marine zone. Previously limited to land-based roles, women gained access to marine training in July 2024 through a dedicated swimming and safety programme, which included monthly fitness assessments. Skipper training is planned as the next phase.

Now operating alongside male rangers and the Saudi Border Guard, the new all-female team patrols 170 km of coastline, monitors marine life, enforces conservation laws, and assists with ecological research. The reserve is home to nearly two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s coral species, over 20% of its fish, and endangered species such as dolphins, dugongs, and turtles.

Women currently represent 34% of the reserve’s 246-person ranger corps - just 1% below Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 labour target and significantly higher than the global average of 11% for female rangers. In marine conservation specifically, women make up only 1% of the workforce worldwide. Their growing presence in the field signals a shift in who participates in frontline environmental protection.

Since 2022, rangers at the reserve have completed nearly 35,000 patrols. Their efforts contribute to Saudi Arabia’s wider goal of protecting 30% of its land and marine territories by 2030.