The conservation status of the threatened gazelles of Ar Rub’ al-Khālī, Saudi Arabia

A long-term conservation effort involving the reintroduction of 313 captive-bred gazelles—240 Arabian sand gazelles and 73 Arabian gazelles—into the Uruq Bani Ma'arid Protected Area in Saudi Arabia's Ar Rub’ al-Khālī desert has shown promising results. Two decades after release, both species established stable populations with distinct habitat preferences: Arabian gazelles thrived on the western side, while sand gazelles spread across the central protected area, exhibiting seasonal movements tied to temperature shifts. The study also revealed that these gazelles adapt their activity patterns seasonally, becoming more nocturnal during hot months and diurnal in cooler periods. This research demonstrates that strategic reintroduction of desert gazelles into protected habitats can lead to successful population establishment, even in complex environments where conventional monitoring is challenging.

Wacher, T., Alboug, A., Barichievy, C., Mir, Z. R., Bruce, T., Olson, D., & Amin, R. (2025). The conservation status of the threatened gazelles of Ar Rub’ al-Khālī, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Arid Environments, 229, 105396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105396