The Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve in central Chad emerged as the place with the highest potential for a successful reintroduction after surveys revealed that the reserve, which supports large numbers of nomadic pastoralists and their livestock, still held the world’s largest remaining dorcas gazelle population as well as healthy populations of bustards and most notably, a small population of the critically endangered dama gazelle.
The Whipsnade females were transferred to Abu Dhabi alongside 23 other animals from different locations to help EAD breed a genetically diverse “world herd” for reintroduction to the wild. This first group of descendants reintroduced to the reserve in 2016 thrived in their new habitat, and soon welcomed what was believed to be the first scimitar-horned oryx born in the wild for more than 20 years. Since then there have been more than 40 wild births after the release of subsequent groups increased the size of the original herd.
In December 2023, the scimitar horned oryx was downlisted from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered on the IUCN Red List following global conservation efforts to save its species.
ZSL conservationist Tim Wacher, said: “This project is the result of decades of collaborative effort between national and international conservation organisations, the Government of Chad, the EAD and local Chadian communities. It’s been a privilege to play a part in returning this iconic species to its original homeland; releasing these animals back into their native arid grassland landscape.”
You can still see scimitar-horned oryx in the zoo, look for them grazing in their paddock – they are easily recognisable by their impressive horns and distinctive sandy-coloured markings on their chest and forehead extending down towards their nostrils.
As part of ZSL, we carry out wildlife conservation work all over the world.
At ZSL we're working across the world to restore wildlife, from leading to cutting-edge science to establishing crucial reintroduction work. We're helping turn the tide on wildlife crime, recover Chinese giant salamanders from extinction and protect Greater one-horned rhinos from poachers.
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