<b>The status of Arabian Gazelles <I>Gazella arabica</I> (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve and Ras Ash Shajar Nature Reserve, Oman</b>

Abstract

C omm u n fi c a t fi o n T h e s t a t u s o f A r a b fi a n G a z e l l e s G a z e l l a a r a b fi c a (M amm a l fi a : C e t a r t fi o d a c t y l a : B o v fi d a e ) fi n A l W u s t a W fi l d l fi f e R e s e r v e a n d R a s A s h S h a j a r N a t u r e R e s e r v e , Om a n M a n s o o r H . A l J a h d h am fi , S u l t a n A l B u l u s h fi , H a fi t h am A l R aw a h fi , W a h e e d A l F a z a r fi , A hm e d A l Am r fi , A b d u l R a hm a n A l Ow a fi s fi , S a l fim A l R u b a fi e y , Z a h r a n A l A b d u l a s a l am , M e t a b A l G h a f r fi , S h a e fi l e n d r a Y a d a v , S am fi A l R a h b fi & S t e v e n R o s s 2 6 J u l y 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 9 | N o . 7 | P p . 1 0 3 6 9 -1 0 3 7 3 1 0 . 1 1 6 0 9 / j o t . 3 3 9 8 . 9 . 7 . 1 0 3 6 9 -1 0 3 7 3 T h r e a t e n e d T a x a T h e J o u r n a l o f T h r e a t e n e d T a x a fi s d e d fi c a t e d t o b u fi l d fi n g e v fi d e n c e f o r c o n s e r v a fi o n g l o b a l l y b y p u b l fi s h fi n g p e e r -r e v fi ew e d a r fi c l e s o n l fi n e e v e r y m o n t h a t a r e a s o n a b l y r a p fi d r a t e a t www . t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g. A l l a r fi c l e s p u b l fi s h e d fi n J o T T a r e r e g fi s t e r e d u n d e r C r e a fi v e C omm o n s A t r fi b u fi o n 4 . 0 I n t e r n a fi o n a l L fi c e n s e u n l e s s o t h e rw fi s e m e n fi o n e d . J o T T a l l ow s u n r e s t r fi c t e d u s e o f a r fi c l e s fi n a n y m e d fi um , r e p r o d u c fi o n , a n d d fi s t r fi b u fi o n b y p r o v fi d fi n g a d e q u a t e c r e d fi t t o t h e a u t h o r s a n d t h e s o u r c e o f p u b l fi c a fi o n .O P E N A C C E S S P a r t n e r www . t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 9 0 7 ( O n l fi n e ) | I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 8 9 3 ( P r fi n t ) B u fi l d fi n g e v fi d e n c e f o r c o n s e r v a fi o n g l o b a l l y J o u r n a l o f T h r e a t e n e d T a x a P u b l fi s h e r / H o s t F o r F o c u s , S c o p e , A fim s , P o l fi c fi e s a n d G u fi d e l fi n e s v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / A b o u t _ J o T T F o r A r fi c l e S u bm fi s s fi o n G u fi d e l fi n e s v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / S u bm fi s s fi o n _ G u fi d e l fi n e s F o r P o l fi c fi e s a g a fi n s t S c fi e n fi fi c M fi s c o n d u c t v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / J o T T _ P o l fi c y _ a g a fi n s t _ S c fi e n fi fi c _M fi s c o n d u c t F o r r e p r fi n t s c o n t a c t < fi n f o@ t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g > Competing interests:The authors declare no competing interests.Author Details: see end of this article. . The density of Arabian Gazelle in RSNR is the highest recorded for a wild population. Using gazelle sighting frequency in non-surveyed parts of each reserve, we estimate Arabian Gazelle populations of 498 and 505 in WWR and RSNR, respectively. Our surveys demonstrated the potential for a high density ...

Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement as a threat to iconic protected areas

“…Populations of Arabian oryx and Arabian gazelle have further declined in the reserve, likely due to poaching and ranching within its boundaries (Al Jahdhami et al. ). The future of this PA and the species that it protects remain uncertain.…”

“…The Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve was later fenced to prevent poaching, which may restrict the migration of the wild Arabian oryx population and access to water sources during drought (Al Jahdhami et al 2011). Populations of Arabian oryx and Arabian gazelle have further declined in the reserve, likely due to poaching and ranching within its boundaries (Al Jahdhami et al 2017). The future of this PA and the species that it protects remain uncertain.…”

First confirmed record of Arabian Gazelle Gazella arabica Lichtenstein, 1827 (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Bovidae) on Masirah Island, off the coast of eastern Oman in the Arabian Sea

“…In Oman, they usually occur in habitats where the Vachellia tortilis (= Acacia tortilis; 'simr' in Arabic) trees appear, which they use as shade and feed on their leaves and seed-pods. Arabian Gazelles are usually found in both plains and rugged mountains but are likely to avoid rocky areas (Al Jahdhami et al 2017). The species may once have been found in far north of Oman in Musandam governorate, but today they are likely to be locally extinct (Al Hikmani et al 2015).…”

Early and late fawn mortality in a remnant population of Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica)

“…Effective conservation of threatened and endangered species requires identifying the main driver(s) of population decline (Caughley 1994). In recent decades, populations of Arabian gazelles were declining within their native range along the coastal plains and mountain ridges of the Arabian Peninsula (Thouless et al 1991(Thouless et al , 1997Mallon and Kingswood 2001;Strauss et al 2009;Lerp et al 2014;Al Hikmani et al 2015;Al Jahdhami et al 2017). These declines have prompted the IUCN Red list to classify the species as vulnerable (C2a,i; IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017).…”