Arabian Oryx Conservation Story

Arabian Oryx

Conservation Story

Arabian Oryx Conservation

The Phoenix Zoo is partially credited with saving the Arabian oryx from extinction. Check it out!

NATURAL HISTORY

Efficient Desert Dwellers

Arabian oryxes are one of four species of oryx which are large antelopes living in African and Asia.
They live in the hot, desolate deserts of the Middle East and have many adaptations to help them thrive.
Arabian oryx have stark white fur that repels the sun helps keep them cool.
They are crepuscular, which allows them to rest during the heat of the day.
Both males and females have very long, straight horns. Males will combat with their horns to impress females.
Arabian oryxes can detect rainfall from great distances and will follow it for fresh food.
They are social animals often living in herds of around 10 individuals, though herds of up to 100 have been seen.
Arabian oryxes will eat mostly grasses and can go weeks without any water!

So, What's the Problem?

P O A C H I N G

Poaching Arabian oryx in the Arabia Peninsula has been ongoing for centuries for their plentiful meat, beautiful horns, and unique hides. Oryxes were also captured live and sold to private collections. It is thought that their populations have been declining since the early 1900s.


As motorized vehicles and more advanced hunting methods became popular in the 1940s and 1950s, the Arabian oryx population was under serious threat.


By the 1960s, the incredibly isolated populations of Arabian oryxes that remained had vanished and the only remaining population was in a small region of the Ar-Rub' al-Khali Desert.

By 1972, the Arabian oryx was extinct in the wild

Thanks to recognizing the threat to oryx populations and acting preemptively, along with daring and extreme conservation efforts, all hope was not lost.

Operation Oryx

Recognizing the threat to the livelihood of the Arabian oryx, the Phoenix Zoo and the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society (now Fauna and Flora International), sprung into action and created a plan to save them with the help of funding from the World Wide Fund for Nature. 

The goal of Operation Oryx was to create a captive breed program to restore the overall population and then reintroduce them back into their native range.

Remaining Wild Oryx

Wildlife biologists set out to capture as many oryx as possible from the remaining population. They successfully captured and transferred two males and one female to the Phoenix Zoo to start the breeding herd.

Every Oryx in the World

Three oryx would not offer enough genetic diversity to begin a breeding program, so captive oryx were located. The London Zoo, the king of Saudi Arabia, and the sheikh of Kuwait donated their private individuals to the breeding efforts. The oryxes were sent to Phoenix, AZ. 

Why Phoenix?

As a species that is perfectly designed to live in a hot, arid landscape, the biologists needed a location for the breeding program that mimicked their natural habitat. Though the oryx were originally set to go to Kenya, the Phoenix Zoo, located in the Sonoran Desert, was the perfect climate. 

A Safe Arrival

From 1962 to 1964, nine oryx were collected and sent to the Phoenix Zoo to start the World Herd and hopefully save their species. 

Breeding Program Success

Babies!

Before all the oryx had even arrived at the Phoenix Zoo, a calf was born in Fall 1963 and another born in Spring 1994. By the time all oryx arrived at the zoo, the total population was 11.

Growing Populations

The breeding program at the Phoenix Zoo became very successful and by 2002, they had successfully facilitated 225 Arabian oryx births.

Sharing the Love

As the population at the Phoenix Zoo grew, individuals were transferred to the San Diego Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, and many other zoos to start breeding programs.

International Programs

Over time, breeding herds were formed closer to their native range in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar

Oryx Reintroduction

The first oryx reintroduction occurred in 1982 in Oman with individuals sent from the breeding program at the San Diego Zoo. They were acclimated to the environment in large pens before their release.

57 Arabian oryx were released into Saudi Arabia in 1986 that were bred at the farm of the previous King of Saudi Arabia, which is now a wildlife research center. New individuals were added through 1996 after which time all new oryx at the center were born there.

Since then, Arabian oryx reintroductions have also occurred in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and captive breeding efforts continue to occur in several countries.

In 1986, the International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the listing of the Arabian oryx from extinct to endangered.

Thanks to the very successful breeding and reintroduction program, the populations of Arabian oryxes were on the rise.

Challenges

Poaching Continues

As oryx populations grew, so did the dangers of poaching. Between 1996 and 1999, the population of Arabian oryx in Oman dropped from 400 to 100 individuals. Nearly 40 oryx were moved into protected enclosures.

Livestock Encroachment

Overgrazing by domestic livestock also presents a threat to the Arabian oryx by depleting their already sparse vegetation. As land is degraded by overgrazing, it challenges existing populations and makes land unsuitable for future reintroductions.

Drought

Prolonged drought in oryx habitat has challenged populations for decades and made regions that used to be native oryx habitat inhabitable. Between 1999 and 2008, 560 Arabian oryx died as a result of extreme drought.

Today

From Extinct in the Wild to Vulnerable

As of 2011, Arabian oryxes are the first species to be downgraded from extinct in the wild to vulnerable (IUCN)

Population Estimate

It is estimated that there are roughly 1,220 Arabian oryx living in the wild, most of which live in protected areas. There are roughly 6,000 captive individuals in institutions all around the world

Protection

Legislation protecting the Arabian oryx is in place in all countries where they have been reintroduced with almost all populations living in protected areas

You Can Help, Too!

Zoos and other wildlife institutions have helped make saving the Arabian oryx from extinction possible. The best way to support Arabian oryx breeding programs is to support the institutions that are doing the work. You can do that by making a donation or visit that zoo! The non-profit Phoenix Zoo still has an on-going breeding program for Arabian oryxes and is an amazing place to spend the day.

Phoenix Zoo

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