RETURN OF THE SCIMITAR- HORNED ORYX TO CHAD John Newby Sahara Conservation Fund

AZA Annual Conference • Indianapolis • 2017 project partners

Government of Chad

 The Scimitar-horned Oryx Reintroduction Programme in Chad is a joint initiative of the Government of Chad and the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi. Under the overall leadership and management of the Environment Agency-Abu Zoological Society Dhabi, on-the-ground of London implementation of the project

Fossil Rim is carried out by the Sahara Wildlife Center Conservation Fund. thank you too

IUCN Conservation Planning SG Saint Louis Zoo IUCN Antelope SG San Diego Zoo IUCN Reintroduction SG Marwell Wildlife AZA Antelope TAG The Living Desert EAZA Antelope TAG Al Ain Zoo Addax & Oryx Foundation National Zoo The Wilds Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Convention on Migratory Wildlife departments of Species Algeria, Niger, Morocco and Tunisia ambitious goals

 Within 5 years, establish a secure, viable and free- ranging population of 500 breeding oryx  Ultimately, have the oryx removed from the IUCN Extinct-in-the-Wild category

in a nutshell

 On August 16, 2016, scimitar-horned oryx returned to the wild after an absence of over 30 years.  Five months earlier, they were welcomed home to Chad as “long lost sons” returning from a long sojourn overseas.  To date, 90 oryx have been returned to the wild and have started breeding, unconfined by fences, unsupplemented with food and water, and unharmed by human beings.

[fairly] recent history

 Oryx numbers fell inexorably during the past century, thanks to over- hunting and the colonization of their Sahelian grassland habitat.  By the 1970s less than 5,000 remained.  By the end of the 1980s they were extinct in the wild. thanks to captive-breeding

 Thankfully, many oryx can be found in captivity, underlining the vital role zoos and private collections have in maintaining viable, “insurance” populations of endangered species. Were it not for these, the oryx would be extinct…period. anatomy of a success

 An ambitious, relevant and engaging idea  Meticulous analysis & planning  Building a constituency of supporters, especially locally  Catching the imagination of the local people the power of partnership

 Build a powerful partnership  Skilled, competent and creative implementation  Rigorous monitoring ➞ learning ➞ improvement  Exciting communications  Good fortune, and seeing and seizing an opportunity  Long-term commitment on all fronts so far so good

 short-term success depends heavily on technical skills and money but is this sufficient and sustainable?  long-term success will call for much, much more.  moving the paradigm from a technical one to a socio- developmental one. risks and threats

 Civil strife and terrorism – the Sahel-Sahara region is pretty unstable right now  Weak governance (policies, enforcement, support,…)  Habitat loss and degradation  Loss of support from local communities nothing ventured nothing gained

In an early planning session I was informed by an “expert” that we were wasting our time and that even if we did manage to bring the oryx back to Chad they would be killed and eaten within a fortnight. They were wrong! success + + +

 The oryx reintroduction project is currently a success  Species such as the Critically Endangered dama gazelle have benefitted  The vast but virtually-forgotten Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve is enjoying a new lease of life  Opportunities have been created for further reintroductions (addax, ostrich, dama gazelle)

take home messages

 WE CAN DO IT!  We have the skills and the resources  Plan well  Be optimistic and take [calculated] risks  Build strong partnerships and local support

follow the oryx

 saharaconservation.org  www.ead.ae  Sandscript  Oryx Field Bulletins  #ScimitarHornedOryx  Facebook thank you!