The importance of the Arabian Oryx has once again been brought into sharp focus, as a new website was launched to help protect the species.
The General Secretariat for the Conservation of the Arabian Oryx, has created the website, www.arabianoryx.org to allow members of the General Secretariat and the public to have a platform to connect on all matters related to the animal.
The site, in both Arabic and English, features a variety of content including the latest Arabian Oryx statistics, history, physical characteristics, diet, behaviour and conservation initiatives in the region. Visitors to the website will be able to engage and contribute to discussions about this iconic species through interactive blogs and forums.
Dr Majid Sultan Al Qassimi, director of Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) said, “The UAE considers restoring Arabian Oryx herds to their native habitats a priority that is in line with the Arabian Oryx Reintroduction Project which was launched in 2007.
“We are proud to support the Government of Abu Dhabi’s conservation efforts of this vulnerable species. This region is the only native habitat of the Arabian Oryx. This unique antelope species used to roam freely in the plains and deserts and is capable of adapting to the unique and arid environment.”
Meanwhile, Al Ain Zoo recently profiled its conservation and breeding efforts of the same animal, celebrating its successful reintroduction programmes in the UAE.
The zoo highlighted the efforts of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to save the critically endangered species from extinction.
In the seventies, numbers depleted to around five to seven individuals in the wild. The late Sheikh Zayed directed his attention towards saving this animal not only for its natural and environmental presence, but also for its cultural value in the UAE.
