About National Wildlife Research Center

The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) was created in April 1986, as one of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) research and breeding centers for wildlife, situated 30 kms south of Taif city near the village of Al Sudhaira and encompasses a 650 ha fenced reserve of semi-desert Acacia savannah. The elevation of the Center is 1,400 meters and the climate quite cosy with an average temperature of 35 ºC in the summer months and 20 ºC in the winter months

The objectives of the NWRC include:

• Captive breeding of globally threatened species in support of species restoration programmes
• The reintroduction of captive-bred animals into specially prepared protected areas within former range in Saudi Arabia
• Post-release monitoring and ecological studies of reintroduced wildlife populations
• Participation in and support of wider conservation programmes, including the protection of wild animal populations, the study of ecological processes in desert habitats, protected areas management, and the encouragement of public support and participation in wildlife conservation through education and awareness projects

Although Saudi Arabia in general is desert country, wildlife used to be plentiful.  The ancient Arabians, as their counterparts of the Sahara Desert left rock drawings showing how abundant animals were at their time.  Islam teaches conservation and the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), especially discuss about wild animals.  But the situation has evolved and some of them have disappeared from this land while most are dramatically few.

During its first ten years, the NWRC has met its initial objectives.  With a staff of nearly 100 people, the NWRC has succeeded in the captive propagation of the Arabian oryx, houbara bustard, red-necked ostrich, Nubian ibex and onager.  Breeding populations of oryx, houbara and ostrich have been re-established in the wild.

NWRC field staff have contributed to conservation programmes within the large network of Saudi Arabian protected areas, from Mahazat as-Sayd on the central plateau, Harrat al-Harrah in the north, to Raydah in the forested Asir mountains, and south to ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid on the edge of the Empty Quarter.

Public awareness materials specially prepared at the NWRC, such as video documentaries and exhibitions, have been used to take the conservation message to thousands of Saudi school children, and to Saudi citizens in cities, towns and even the most remote mountain villages.

Over the next ten years the NWRC aims to continue the restoration of depleted wildlife populations through reintroductions into new protected areas, through management, and through the protection and encouragement of remnant wild populations.

As part of broader programmes to document Saudi Arabia’s biodiversity for the selection, protection and management of wildlife reserves, NWRC staff undertake and support research on a variety of wildlife, including plants, insects, birds, bats, foxes, sand cats, wild cats, wolves and Arabian leopards, and on the ecological processes that regulate wildlife populations in the varied and sometimes harsh arid environments of Saudi Arabia.

The Arabian oryx was once widespread in all Arabia from Syria to the Rub Al Khali.  It was declared extinct in the wild in 1972 when the last specimen was shot in Oman.  Previously in 1962-63 the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society captured three specimens (2 males and 1 female) in Yemen.  These three animals were sent in USA to the Phoenix Zoo and later to the San Diego Zoo.  To these specimens were added one female from Kuwait and four animals given by HRM King Saud.   These eight animals initiated what was called “The World Herd”.  The World Herd has been very successful and in December 81 controlled approximately 130 individuals, and now the population of Arabia oryx in Saudi Arabia would be more than 1000 in the protected areas.

In the mean time HRM King Khaled organized a herd on his farm at Thumama near Riyadh with animals from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and from the World Herd.

Some of these animals were transferred in May 1986 to the NWRC.  In six months we registered seven births.  The current populations in Saudi Arabia are representatives of those young animals.

Re-introduction programmes of Arabian Oryx were selected from the populations which were identical to the same species which had been exterminated.  Founders were obtained from areas where the environment is as harsh as the introduction sites.

Released animals were marked with suitable tags for identification and fitted with radio collars to enable them to be relocated after release. The post-release progress of Oryx has been carefully monitored and the information gained from early releases utilized in planning subsequent attempts where appropriate.

NWRC carried out research on various aspects of the Arabian Oryx in Saudi Arabia those include Biology and ecology, habitat utilization, population dynamics, genetics etc.

 

National Wildlife Research Center
P.O. Box 1086 Taif
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Tel: +966 2 74 55 188/92
Fax: +966 2 74 55 176
E-mail: desert [at] nwrc-sa [dot] org

Acknowledgement

We want to extend our thanks and gratitude to HH Prince Bandar bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al Saud (Secretary General, NCWCD) for his leadership, generosity and continuous support towards the research and conservation work by the NWRC in the Kingdom. We the team are happy to acknowledge Mr. Ahmed Boug (General Director) of the National Wildlife Researcher Center whose leadership and long-term conservation vision making a very conducive environment for researchers to perform better.  Mr. Boug decided to update and re-launch the Arabian oryx website, Dr. Saud Anajarriya (Head of Captive-breeding Department) provided information from his department on captive breeding and translocations of Arabian oryx, Zafar-ul Islam (Research and Field Monitoring Manager) had compiled and re-written manuscripts for the Arabian oryx website, Mohammed Basheer Chukkan (Electronic Data Processing Officer) redesigned the website using latest technology, Olivier Couppey (Audio Visual Officer) and Digsa Kafle (Photograph Officer) have provided film and photographs for the website.  The team, acknowledge Maartin Strauss and Khairi Ismail for their contributions related to the Arabian oryx in Mahazat as-Sayd and Uruq Bani Ma’arid protected areas.  The team, want to thank Mr. Abdulrahman Khoja, Mr. Ali Zahrani, Mr. Abdulrahman Chukkan, Rangers in the protected areas for their continuous support and encouragement for the conservation work.