Reintroduction of the Arabian oryxOryx leucoryxin Jordan: war and redemption

Abstract

Following the extinction of the Arabian oryx Oryx leucoryx in the wild in 1972 Jordan began a reintroduction programme in 1978 with 11 founding animals. When the herd size reached 31 in 1983 most were released from captive breeding pens into the 342 km2 Shaumari Nature Reserve, part of which (22 km2) was fenced the following year to protect the oryx and exclude livestock. The herd grew initially (between 1979 and 1986) at about 23% per year. In 1990, when the herd numbered 79, its management was preparing to release it into the wild outside the fenced reserve. However, Bedouin families fleeing the Gulf War in Kuwait and Iraq brought 1.6 million sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys into Jordan. These livestock so overgrazed potential oryx habitat throughout the arid rangelands that reintroduction was impossible. Overcrowding within Shaumari became apparent by 1995, when the population numbered 186. The herd's rate of increase began to decline as productivity and recruitment decreased and mortality increased. In 1997, to reduce overcrowding, the herd's management began dispersing them to other Middle Eastern countries and to another nature reserve in Jordan. By February 2006, 43 oryx remained at Shaumari. In 2005, however, the prospects improved when the United Nations Compensation Commission awarded Jordan the cost of environmental damages resulting from the 1990–1991 Gulf War. Part of this award is designated for renewal of the captive breeding and reintroduction programme.

Reproductive biology and life history traits of Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) founder females reintroduced to Mahazat as-Sayd, Saudi Arabia

“…Births rates reported from Shaumari Nature Reserve in Jordan decreased from 0.6 calves per female per year (in 1984 after initial re-introduction) to approximately 0.15 calves per female per year (in 2005;Harding et al 2007), which was considerably lower than that determined in this study (overall mean: 0.72 ± 0.03 calves per female and year). In Jordan the decrease of productivity correlated with increasing population size which was attributed to the fact that the population was approaching and exceeding the carrying capacity of a small nature reserve (Harding et al 2007). Based on data collected between 1993 and 1996, Treydte et al (2001) calculated a birth rate of 1.1 ± 0.09 (mean ± SE) births per female per year for Mahazat as-Sayd.…”

“…Moreover, mean life span (mean ± SD) of female founders in Jordan was only 8.8 ± 4.8 years (max: 16 years), whereas that of Mahazat as-Sayd (mean ± SE) was 11.09 ± 0.46 years (max: 15.3 years) suggesting that environmental conditions in Saudi Arabia were more suitable than in Jordan. However, both populations exceeded their carrying capacity in subsequent years leading to sharp drops in population density (Harding et al 2007;Strauss 2008) as predicted by Treydte et al (2001) for Mahazat as-Sayd.…”

“…This is because mothers can increase their overall fitness by producing males whose reproductive life time success is higher than that of females (Clutton-Brock et al 1982). A reintroduced Arabian oryx population in Shaumari Nature Reserve in Jordan showed a contrary trend with 0.91 male claves per female (Harding et al 2007). This divergence may be explained by a younger age structure of founder females in Shaumari Nature Reserve, or by less optimal environmental conditions faced by oryx reintroduced in Jordan.…”

“…This divergence may be explained by a younger age structure of founder females in Shaumari Nature Reserve, or by less optimal environmental conditions faced by oryx reintroduced in Jordan. Although, temperatures are lower (−10 to 42 • C) and mean annual rainfall is higher (62.2 mm) in Shaumari Nature Reserve, the Hammada, a treeless, flat terrain covered by flint or limestone pebbles, is virtually free of vegetation, and food is only available in the wadis intercepting the plain (Harding et al 2007). Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the bias towards male off-spring observed in our study can be explained by the biology of the species or whether it represents a sampling artefact.…”

A Review on Animal Hybridization’s Role in Evolution and Conservation: Canis rufus (Audubon and Bachman) 1851—A Case Study

“…For example, if ever Raphus cucullatus is cloned, no program for reintroduction to the wild in Maritius should be considered-not before a large enough area is restored and is free from invasive species; otherwise, its fate would most probably be to face a second extinction. In fact, Oryx leucoryx is an example of a species that has suffered the risk of facing a second extinction in the wild after its first reintroduction [37].…”