Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action.
The Arabian Oryx: Nature’s Resilient Antelope
The slender horns of the Arabian oryx, often called the “white oryx” due to its luminous coat, are reminiscent of mythical tales of the unicorn. Adapted to their desert environment, their white fur helps reflect sunlight, keeping them cool even in extreme heat, which can soar to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius) during the summer.
From Extinction to Conservation Success
Once roaming from Egypt to Yemen, the Arabian oryx was declared extinct in the wild in the 1970s due to overhunting. This alarming decline sparked intensive conservation efforts, focusing on breeding the species in captivity and reintroducing them back into their natural habitats. Today, estimates put the wild Arabian oryx population at around 1,220, with an additional 6,000 to 7,000 individuals in captivity, as reported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Comeback Story
Despite ongoing threats from illegal hunting, overgrazing, and drought, the Arabian oryx has shown remarkable resilience. The IUCN recognized this recovery by upgrading the species’ status from endangered to vulnerable in 2011. Their habitat now spans Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Operation Oryx: A Lifesaving Initiative
In 1962, with fewer than 500 Arabian oryxes remaining, conservationists initiated “Operation Oryx” to rescue the species from extinction. They managed to capture three oryx in the desert of what is now South Yemen and transported them to Phoenix Zoo in the United States for a groundbreaking captive breeding program. Here, a baby Arabian oryx is seen at Zoo Miami in Miami, Florida.
Habitat and Diet
Arabian oryxes are primarily herbivores, primarily consuming desert grasses and shrubs. They are finely attuned to their environment, able to detect rainfall and plant growth from up to 56 miles (90 km) away. Consequently, they often traverse vast distances in search of pasture. However, this mobility renders them vulnerable, as they may wander outside protected zones. An Arabian oryx is pictured taking refuge in the shade of a tree in a conservation area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2023.
Future Conservation Efforts
To restore the Arabian oryx to its historic range, conservationists have proposed reintroductions in countries like Iraq, Kuwait, and Syria. Monitoring of captive populations in these nations continues, with the goal of establishing stable herds there in the foreseeable future. In this image, Arabian oryx are seen at the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Umm Al-Zamool, approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 2016.
