UAE helps Arabian Oryx return to Wadi Rum after 7 Decades of extinction

8 males and 12 females will be released in Wadi Rum Protected Area, as part of the sponsorship agreement that was signed between the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), which chairs the Coordinating Committee for Conservation of Arabian Oryx, and Al Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority in April 2007.

Fifteen were transferred to Jordan last weekend and 5 more will be transferred within the next two weeks. The animals were transferred to Amman in a military aircraft, in coordination with the UAE Armed Forces, while Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort prepared the oryxes for release, by administering medical check ups and the necessary vaccinations.

The twenty animals, which are the first to be released in Wadi Rum, will be placed in enclosures to allow them the opportunity to adapt to the desert habitat.

H.E Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD, said that reintroducing the Arabian Oryx into its natural habitats in Jordon is part of the UAE's effort to conserve this species, which is not only endangered but also an important part of the Arabian Peninsula's heritage.

"All of these efforts are translation of the vision and wise directives of H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and inspired by the legacy of the Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan," he noted.

Mr. Al Mansouri noted that the vision is to eventually expand the numbers of these Oryx and allow them free movement throughout the area. He added that the released animals will be monitored by satellite to follow their movement and behavior to ensure the animals' safety.

It is worthwhile to note that during the first phase of this project, a management committee was set up to oversee implementation. The Committee is composed of representatives from EAD, Al Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and the Jordanian's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature.

More oryxes are expected to be released in the Jordanian wild in the future.