Scimitar-Horned Oryx Population Recovers in Chad, Reclassified to Endangered
The scimitar-horned oryx, once declared extinct in the wild in 2000, has seen a remarkable comeback in Chad. A decade after 25 captive-bred oryx were reintroduced, the free-living population now exceeds 600 animals. This recovery led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to reclassify the species from 'Extinct in the Wild' to 'Endangered' in December 2023. The reintroduction program, which began in March 2016, involved transporting animals from Abu Dhabi to the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve in Chad. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, Sahara Conservation, the Government of Chad, and international partners including the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. The program focused on establishing a self-sustaining population, with the first wild-born calf recorded in December 2016. By 2023, over 500 calves had been born in the wild, contributing significantly to the population growth.
