Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi celebrates continued success of world's largest mammal reintroduction programme

• Published date: 20 May 2022
• Publication title: LETA

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) continues to progress with the world's largest mammal reintroduction programme, as it has successfully translocated 20 Scimitar-Horned Oryx (SHO) and 25 Addax to Chad's Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve during last March.

Due to the programme's efforts, the numbers of Scimitar-Horned Oryx in the wild reached 460, with 15 calves born so far this year, as well as 96 wild Addax, with five calves born to the herd, also this year.

Furthermore, for the first time ever, EAD has successfully translocated five Dama Gazelle on 14th March, 2022, which have joined the herd of other captured wild Dama Gazelle in the Agency programme.

As part of the monitoring programme for the animals, EAD successfully darted seven wild animals - six SHO and one Addax - and fitted them with satellite tracking collars, enabling close monitoring to witness survival and reproduction.

Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, said, "This pioneering project was inspired by the insightful vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who noticed that SHO numbers were declining rapidly and wished to see them flourish once again. Today we are seeing continued success thanks to the support of our wise leadership through the regular translocation of both breeds to their natural habitat in Chad. Both herds of animals are now thriving very well in their natural habitats."

"We are currently very close to achieving our goal of having a herd of 500 SHO in Chad and, due to the success of this project, we are aiming to go beyond this figure and ensure that the numbers in the wild increase even further. Alongside the...