How did conservation efforts save the Arabian Oryx from extinction?

The Arabian Oryx is a desert antelope that was once extinct in the wild due to overhunting and habitat loss. However, conservation efforts have helped to bring this iconic animal back from the brink of extinction.

One of the key conservation efforts was the establishment of the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman in 1994. The sanctuary provided a safe space for breeding and reintroducing the oryx back into the wild. The sanctuary has since been expanded to cover over 22,000 square kilometers, and it now supports over 1000 Arabian Oryx.

Other conservation efforts included captive breeding programs and reintroduction into protected areas in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Jordan. These programs have been successful, and the Arabian Oryx is no longer considered endangered. The species was even declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1972, but thanks to conservation efforts, it was reclassified as vulnerable in 2011.