Kuwait is home to diverse and beautiful natural landscapes, as well as a variety of birds and animals, ranging from its coastal areas to natural reserves and desert regions. In 2025, the Wikimedians of Kuwait User Group was established as a new Wikimedia community in the Gulf region. The group quickly realized that the country was underrepresented on Wikimedia Commons and that very few images existed of Kuwait’s natural heritage, so they joined Wiki Loves Earth to help bridge this gap. To further highlight their efforts, they also conducted an Edit-a-thon on the Arabic Wikipedia to create articles about nature reserves and parks around the world. Participating in Wiki Loves Earth was their first initiative in this area, and the results exceeded all expectations.
The group uploaded 980 images to Wikimedia Commons, created 60 new articles, and achieved two international presents in the final competition, marking a strong and successful debut for Kuwait on the global stage.
The International presents provided a platform to showcase two sites from Kuwait, with the Sulaibikhat area winning third place, and the Jahra Reserve securing fourth place.
The Local presents provided excellent and extensive coverage of Kuwait’s wildlife and natural environment. The Monitor Lizard took first place locally, while other entries highlighted a variety of birds and landscapes, further showcasing the country’s natural beauty.
Notably, the image that won first local place was selected as a featured picture on both Wikimedia Commons and the Arabic Wikipedia.
The flamingo has attracted significant attention this year, with striking photographs taken within the Jahra reserve, highlighting the diversity of birds in Kuwait.
The submissions went beyond birds and landscapes, encompassing photographs of plants, flowers, animals, and the moon over Kuwait.
One of the competition’s photographers captured a video of a Himalayan vulture soaring in the sky of Kuwait, an exceptionally rare sight that required careful observation.
Himalayan vulture in the sky of Kuwait, by Alahamali70
The contributions, spanning both professional and amateur photographers, were remarkably diverse, creating an inspiring and enriching experience for all involved. The initiative offered a compelling insight into Kuwait’s wildlife, emphasized the significance of documenting its natural splendor, and enhanced both the group’s and Kuwait’s visibility within the global Wikimedia community.
In the future, Wikimedia Kuwait will continue its efforts by exploring and documenting new and underrepresented areas on Wikimedia Commons, working to bridge the digital gap and share Kuwait’s natural heritage within Open Knowledge projects.
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