ZSL’s efforts to restore the scimitar-horned oryx from the brink of extinction have been successful, with the species being downlisted from ‘Extinct in the Wild’ to ‘Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The antelope, once widespread across North Africa, had seen its population plummet in the 1980s due to hunting for its horns and meat. In 2000, it was declared ‘Extinct in the Wild’ by the IUCN.
A conservation partnership coordinated by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) and supported by ZSL has led to the species’ recovery, with 510 calves now born in the wild in Chad.
In February 2023, ZSL scientists published a study in the Journal Science which showed the powerful potential of conservation zoos to reverse extinction. The scimitar horned oryx is the first species evaluated in the study to subsequently have its status downlisted to Endangered.
Dr Andrew Terry, Director of Conservation and Policy at ZSL and co-author of the study, said: “At a time when biodiversity is being lost at unprecedented rates, the return of the scimitar horned oryx can give us hope for other species whose fate is – quite literally – in our hands.”
Recognising the plummeting wild population, an ambitious recovery project was started in 1985 where ZSL worked alongside organisations including the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF). ZSL has continued to provide scientific and conservation support since.
Tim Wacher, Senior Conservation Biologist at ZSL, said: “The return of the scimitar horned oryx is the result of a long-term conservation effort for the species – following in-depth, careful preparation, and championed and supported by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. All Saharan antelope species are severely threatened, but this project is proof that with the right will and resources, we can secure a future for them all.”
The comeback of the scimitar horned oryx represents the restoration of not just a species, but a whole ecosystem. Through grazing, the antelopes help maintain grasslands in their native Chad and prevent the spread of desertification – making them a nature-based solution to local climate change impacts.
Today’s downlisting of the scimitar horned oryx marks a huge conservation success, demonstrating the potential of global collaboration to prevent species extinction. As discussions at COP28 conclude this week, ZSL is calling on world leaders to use this success to drive future change and success.
On Tuesday 12 December, the scimitar horned oryx was downlisted to Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, marking a significant conservation success story. The antelope, once widespread across North Africa, had seen its population plummet in the 1980s due to hunting for its horns and meat and was declared ‘Extinct in the Wild’ in 2000.
A conservation partnership coordinated by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) and supported by ZSL has led to the species’ recovery, with 510 calves now born in the wild in Chad. ZSL scientists published a study in the Journal Science in February 2023 that showed the powerful potential of conservation zoos to reverse extinction, with the scimitar horned oryx being the first species evaluated in the study to subsequently have its status downlisted to Endangered.
Dr Andrew Terry, Director of Conservation and Policy at ZSL and co-author of the study, said: “At a time when biodiversity is being lost at unprecedented rates, the return of the scimitar horned oryx can give us hope for other species whose fate is – quite literally – in our hands.”
Tim Wacher, Senior Conservation Biologist at ZSL, added: “The return of the scimitar horned oryx is the result of a long-term conservation effort for the species – following in-depth, careful preparation, and championed and supported by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. All Saharan antelope species are severely threatened, but this project is proof that with the right will and resources, we can secure a future for them all.”
The comeback of the scimitar horned oryx represents the restoration of not just a species, but a whole ecosystem. Through grazing, the antelopes help maintain grasslands in their native Chad and prevent the spread of desertification – making them a nature-based solution to local climate change impacts.
ZSL is calling on world leaders to use this success to drive future change and success, as discussions at COP28 conclude this week. Dr Terry concluded: “At ZSL, we know that if we are to truly tackle the issues facing
