PARENT SESSION

Conservation 3 -- Session Chair: Patrick Kelly-- University Center, Kate Buchanan Room

REINTRODUCTION OF ARABIAN ORYX (ORYX LEUCORYX) IN JORDAN. Lee E. Harding¹ and Omar F. Abu Eid². ¹ SciWrite Environmental Sciences Ltd., 2339 Sumpter Drive, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada; ² Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, P.O. Box 6354, Amman, Jordan, Jordan.

ABSTRACT- The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) began a captive breeding and re-introduction program in Jordan during 1978-1979 with 11 founding animals. When the herd size reached 31 in 1983, the RSCN began releasing them into the 22 km² Shaumari Nature Reserve. Although the population grew initially (1979 to 1986) at about 27% per year, problems became apparent by 1995, when the population was 174. They included lack of adequate veterinary care after 1993, lack of suitable habitat outside the reserve because of overgrazing (hence limiting the options for further reintroductions), overcrowding and habitat deterioration within the small reserve, and delays in establishing new wildlife reserves. After 1995, the oryx began to suffer effects of crowding in both range deterioration and agonistic behaviour, and the rate of increase began to decline. Mortality, especially of neonates, increased and yearling recruitment declined. When the population reached its maximum of about 216 in 2001, the RSCN released 10 Arabian oryx was into the Wadi Rum Nature Reserve. Later that year, the RSCN terminated the captive breeding and re-introduction programs and began to disperse its herd to other captive breeding programs and private collections in the Middle East. By autumn 2003, 43 Arabian oryx remained at Shaumari and 6 had survived at Wadi Rum. Together with the collapse, after 1996, of the reintroduced herd in Oman, this has been a setback for the conservation of Arabian oryx. Just 2 viable, wild herds (in Saudi Arabia) remain. Together with other captive breeding programs and private collections, about 3944 Arabian oryx remain outside of zoos. Although the situation in Jordan seems discouraging, these problems are solvable. To re-activate the program would require renewed conservation efforts by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the international community.

KEY WORDS: Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx, Jordan, reintroduction