BACK TO THE WILD RESTORING THE MEGAFAUNA OF THE SAHARA & THE SAHEL

John Newby Sahara Conservation Fund Thank you!

• Governments of Chad & Niger • Crown Prince Court • Environment Agency Abu Dhabi • Zoological Society of London • Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute • Fossil Rim Wildlife Center • Saint Louis Zoo • San Diego Global • Zoo & Aquarium • The Living Desert • White Oak Conservation • Oklahoma City Zoo • Royal Zoological Society of Scotland • European Union • Fondation Segré

Saving Saharan Wildlife Scope of the presentation

• Update on the Chad scimitar- horned reintroduction project • Planned reintroduction of addax to Chad • Project to capture and translocate dama within Chad

Saving Saharan Wildlife Oryx - current situation

• 160 oryx in the wild • 25 in captivity awaiting release in September (7th group to arrive) • Major unexpected die-off of some 44 oryx during a 2-month period in summer 2018 • Bushfires continue to be a major issue

Saving Saharan Wildlife Oryx mortality

• Brief but deadly “epidemic” • Cause(s) currently unknown but likely a cocktail of disease, diet and stress • Analysis of specimens currently underway in France and Chad

Saving Saharan Wildlife Biting flies

• Haematobia sp.? • Vector of anthrax and “surra” (trypanosome) • Lesions can lead to secondary infections and attack by other parasites • Very bothersome! • New vaccination protocols

Saving Saharan Wildlife Bushfires (Source: Tim Wacher/ZSL)

• 16 incidents in 2018-2019 • Over 4700 km2 burned

Saving Saharan Wildlife Bushfires – multiple causes

• Household accidents • Cigarettes, carelessness • Vehicle exhaust pipes • Lightning • Deliberately set to “cleanse” the ground

Saving Saharan Wildlife Fire breaks

Saving Saharan Wildlife Fire-fighting

Saving Saharan Wildlife Local method but trees are rare

Saving Saharan Wildlife Grass harrow

Saving Saharan Wildlife Impacts of fire

• Annual plants destroyed • Perennials impacted • Tree cover reduced, deadwood consumed • Soil scorched, permeability reduced • Increased competition with livestock for remaining pasture

Saving Saharan Wildlife Oryx distribution (Source: Tim Wacher/ZSL)

Saving Saharan Wildlife Horn-mounted tags

Saving Saharan Wildlife Current population data (Source: Tim Wacher/ZSL)

Saving Saharan Wildlife Addax reintroduction (or reinforcement?)

• 25 addax from EAD to Chad in November 2019 • New pens under construction • Trial translocation & release • Close monitoring • Possible release well away from holding pens • Little likelihood of mixing with wild addax for a very long time

Saving Saharan Wildlife Challenges

• Availability of suitable habitat & grazing • Dispersion to true desert habitats • Cohabitation with oryx • Possibility of hybridization? • Close monitoring essential

Saving Saharan Wildlife Dama action plan

• Genetic value of Manga damas highlighted • Zero protection currently • Translocation regarded as high priority • Remaining damas few in number • Operation very risky…and very expensive. Still looking for around $50,000 • In principle support obtained from Fondation Segré

Saving Saharan Wildlife : genetic diversity in the wild is far richer than in captive collections

Haplotypes (mtDNAdloop) 30 2 5

Wild Captive « mhorr » Captive « ruficollis »

(Senn et al. 2014; Senn et al. 2016)

Saving Saharan Wildlife Manga dama gazelles

Saving Saharan Wildlife DAMA GAZELLE RESCUE MISSION

MANGA CAPTURE SITE

OUADI RIME-OUADI ACHIM RELEASE SITE

• PRELIMINARY RECONNAISSANCE –

MANGA MAY

OUADI RIME- OUADI ACHIM • PRE-CAPTURE LOCALISATION – NOVEMBER

• CAPTURE – END- NOVEMBER OR EARLY-DECEMBER Possible options

• Captive-breeding to boost numbers • Likely supplementation with imported damas (USA, UAE) • Release into OROA to join local population of dama gazelles • Export of breeding stock or gametes?

Saving Saharan Wildlife Thanks, folks, I’m outta here.

WWW.SAHARACONSERVATION.ORG

Saving Saharan Wildlife