Al Ain Zoo’s endangered gazelles received a dose of new blood – literally – in recent conservation efforts. The organisation has announced it has successfully bred Speke’s gazelle, following the introduction of two male gazelles from Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai.
The Speke’s gazelle is currently classified as an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
In order to strengthen the Speke’s gazelle herd population, the zoo looked to introduce a new blood line in 2013.
After careful coordination two gazelles arrived at Al Ain Zoo, and were initially housed under quarantine conditions, before being introduced to two separate groups of adult females with the purpose of overcoming in-breeding issues and improving the genetic diversity at Al Ain Zoo.
Almost one year since the introduction, Al Ain Zoo Speke’s gazelle population increased from 18 to 30, indicating a successful breeding of 12 newborns from the breeding groups.
“Al Ain Zoo has long been committed to wildlife preservation and conservation, and collaborating with many organisations that are aligned with our cause helps us work towards a shared goal. The successful breeding of the Speke’s gazelle supports the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed for the UAE to become a leader in environmental sustainability and wildlife protection, including of desert species,” said Muna Al Dhaheri, chief executive of education and conservation.
The zoo has successfully introduced conservation and breeding programmes for a number of species over the past decades, including species of oryx, gazelle, the Arabian Leopard and the Houbara bustard.
