There is good news. A baby Arabian Sand Gazelle has been born in the wild.
According to Dr Mataab Al Ghafri, senior wildlife specialist at the Environment Authority, witnessing the new born in the wild indicates a partial success to all the measures taken to protect the species known as Reem in Oman, also referred to as the Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella marica)
Poets have often compared the eyes of their subject to the eyes of Reem and have written verses inspired by their gait and grace. According to IUCN sand gazelle is classified as vulnerable.
They face many challenges for survival even though they are historically known to be native to the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula — the Empty Quarter known as the Rub al Khali.
“In Oman, the sand gazelle is found at Arabian oryx sanctuary in Al Wusta,” said Dr Al Ghafri.
Some of the major challenges sand gazelles face that threaten their survival are habitat loss, climate change, poaching and illegal hunting as well as diseases.
“The habitat loss limits their range and access to essential resources like food and water,” explained Al Ghafri. Prolonged years of drought and heat waves, which leads to desertification and and reduced availability of vegetation and water sources.
Poaching remains a significant threat for all wild species which primarily leads to the extinction of many wild species in Oman.
“Sand gazelles are targeted for their meat and majestic horns as trophies,” he said.
Another major threat they face is disease and that is because sand gazelles are sensitive animals and are susceptible to diseases transmitted by domestic livestock, which can lead to outbreaks and significant mortality in gazelle populations. However, Reem gazelles are protected species in Oman. It is illegal to kill or catch an animal alive.
This is the story of Reem or sand gazelle in Oman.
“They were reintroduced to Oman (specifically to Arabian Oryx reserve) in 2013 with an initial population of 315 individuals. This step came after the extinction of this iconic species in the wild. This reintroduction project was a fruit of contribution of three countries — Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The question is are they now in the wilderness or reserves?
Dr Al Ghafri replied, “We have animals in captivity where we set two large enclosures with a total area of more than 1,000,000 square meters. These two large enclosures hold more than 1,400 animals. At the moment there are more than 50 individuals roaming freely in the reserve. We witnessed new born in the wild which indicate, what I could call it, a partial success of the reintroduction programme.”
Many measures have been taken to protect them such as patrols which cover the entire sanctuary 24/7.
“Their main duty is to protect the animals and prevent any illegal access to the reserve. In addition, rangers provide information about the range and distance moved by the wild animals,” he explained.
Is poaching still a threat?
“Unfortunately, yes, it is still a threat but its intensity fluctuates between seasons. For example, hunting incidences are noticed to be reduced during hot summer months and increased during cool months. Hunting is the main reason which hinder the release of large numbers of animals to the wild,” Dr Al Ghafri said.
EA is dedicated to spreading awareness about the protection of the species through social media, radio, newspapers and TV which advice people to respect and be kind with the wild creatures and help in protecting them by not disturbing and to inform the officials if they sight a wild animal or encounter a hunting incidence.
The Environment Authority has set up several water stations around the reserves so animals can get access to water. “Water stations are in a varying distances from the reserve camp ranging from 15 km to 25 km, which allow the animal to roam freely in the reserve,” said Dr Al Ghafri.
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