Arabian Oryx: How the Gulf Brought a Desert Icon Back From Extinction

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51 seconds ago

November 8, 2026

Shorya

A pale long horned antelope, the Arabian oryx has been roaming around the middle east for thousands of years. However, poaching resulted in this animal becoming extinction in the wild by 1972. Today, herds have made a comeback and this is the story of how a small number of animals in a zoo and some very determined governments have helped create one of the most positive wildlife success stories in the world.

The Last Wild Herd To A Zoo In Arizona

The oryx was hunted for its meat, skin and beautiful horns. As cars and rifles became available it became an easy prey for hunters. Wild herds plummeted and by the 1960s there were none left. In 1963, a breeding herd was started in the Phoenix Zoo in the USA. Just 9 individuals were present but they thrived in the arid environment. By 1980 there were enough oryx to try to start a reintroduction programme.

Rebuilding Herds In The Gulf

Oman started off by introducing 10 oryx into their central desert in 1982. Then followed Saudi Arabia who released them in 1982 in Mahazat as-Sayd. The United Arab Emirates also started breeding programmes with help from the late Sheikh Zayed. Now most of the wild populations live in the Gulf. Around 1200 oryx now walk freely across the peninsular.

In 2011 the Arabian oryx was re-classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) from Extinct in the Wild to Vulnerable. This was the first animal to have this upgrade showing how well conservation has worked when land, investment and patience is put into place.

However, there have been issues. In 2007 Oman’s Arabian Oryx Sanctuary lost its UNESCO World Heritage status. This was due to the sanctuary decreasing in size by 90% due to oil exploration. Poaching and illegal capturing also decreased the numbers in this area. This shows how quickly things can go wrong.

Therefore it is clear that large areas should be protected. Laws should be enforced to protect wildlife. Breeding animals should be shared between countries. This could be helped by establishing a shared desert sanctuary between the UAE, Saudi Arabia & Oman. People can also visit authorised reserves to keep away from wildlife.