The Return of the Sword-Horned Oryx: A Miracle of the Wild After 23 Years of Extinction

 The sword-horned antelope, an antelope species once considered extinct in the wild, has seen a positive change in its status. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has downgraded its classification from 'Extinct in the Wild' to 'Endangered'. This downgrade is a result of two main conservation approaches: the ex-situ approach, which involves treating animals outside of their natural environment, and the in-situ approach, which maintains animals in their native habitat.

The sword-horned antelope, once widespread in North Africa, suffered a drastic decline in the 1980s due to drought and poaching for their horns and meat. By 2000, the species was declared 'Extinct in the Wild', surviving only through captive breeding around the world.

In 1985, a recovery initiative was started by ZSL London Zoo and the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) to explore the feasibility of a sword-horned antelope reintroduction program. Following surveys in 2009 and 2013 that revealed potential sites in the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Fauna Reserve in Chad, the reintroduction of the saber-horned antelope into the wild began in 2016.

With the support of the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, the reintroduction was carried out with care. A total of 21 gazelles were fitted with GPS satellite collars so that experts could monitor their movements. It was a great success when after six months, the first sword-horned antelope was born in the wild after more than thirty years. This success was followed by the release of 14 additional antelope into the same area in January 2017.

From the moment the project began, the goal was to build a strong, self-sustaining antelope population. Efforts in Chad have already yielded significant results, with more than five hundred gazelle calves born in the wild. This shows that with careful planning, strong support and sustained hard work, species conservation can restore hope for their survival in their natural habitat.

Source : https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/14/scimitar-horned-oryx-return-23-year-extinction/

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