Saudi Arabia's King Salman Royal Reserve in the Northern Borders Region witnessed the birth of an Arabian Oryx for the first time in 90 years.
The birth is the result of cooperation between the King Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority and the National Center for Wildlife. It comes after the release of a group of Oryxes in the reserve in March this year, as part of the reintroduction programs for endangered species in their natural habitats.
The white oryx’s return to these areas and the resumption of its natural reproduction contribute to the balance of the environment and enrich the biodiversity. It also gives a major boost to the preservation of these species, which disappeared from the region for decades due to many environmental factors, arbitrary hunting, and loss of vegetation cover.
The Arabian Oryx or white oryx is the largest land mammal in the Arabian Peninsula, an adult Oryx can weigh up to 80 kilograms. It is characterized by a white coat on most of the body except for the face and feet that are usually a dark color. It is characterized by long, straight or slightly curved horns. The horns of males are thicker and shorter than those of females, and they have broad hooves that facilitate their movement on soft sand.
The King Salman Royal Reserve is the fourth largest wildlife reserve in the world, extending over 130,700 square kms. It is a unique desert habitat and a resort to many species of plants, and endangered animals like the Arabian Oryx, black-tailed gazelle, and the Eurasian griffon.
