Nubian Ibex – Asir Mountains

Whilst in the Asir Mountains on 1 April 2017 Phil Roberts and I found two Nubian Ibex Capra nubiana in an area of steep rocky montane hills, altitude of 2000 metres above sea level. The mountains were made of crystalline rock with an average rainfall of +/-370 mm year. The animals appeared to be a female and well-grown young and where only seen for a short period before they disappeared from view and could not be found again despite extensive searching. Despite only seeing them briefly a single photo was obtained by me that is shown below. Very few people have seen this species in the wild in Saudi Arabia and whilst talking to a local farmer we found out that two animals had been seen in the area once in the last year but had not been seen for many years prior to this. This fact is borne out by the latest surveys where only seven where seen on one occasion in the south-west near to where we saw our animals despite helicopter and land surveys being undertaken. In Saudi Arabia, few systematic censuses have been made with most data coming from brief aerial and ground reconnaissance surveys made to locate populations during 1987-1989. Among the 15 sites where ibex were found, major concentrations occur in the western mountains of the Arabian shield, with isolated populations located in the north, north-central and central regions. Only scattered observations have been made in the south. The highest densities appear to be in Jabal Qaraqar, Hemah Fiqrah and Hawtat bani Tamim Ibex Reserve. Ancient rock drawings dating back several thousand years depicting Nubian ibex are to be found throughout Saudi Arabia and testify to man's long association with this species. The distribution of the Nubian ibex in Saudi Arabia spans a wide diversity of habitat types. The relict population found in the central Tuwayq occupies low-altitude, dissected escarpments of sedimentary rock, which are treeless, except in narrow canyons, where precipitation averages 50 mm a year. By contrast, ibex in the south-west of the country occupy juniper-dominated mountain summits with elevations in excess of 2000 m, and where rainfall averages over 350 mm a year. All the sites where they live area characterized by difficult terrain, which tends to limit access to livestock, and the vegetation, in terms of structure and species diversity, has remained relatively intact in these areas. There are no population estimates in the Kingdom, but overall, numbers are believed to be decreasing in areas where ibex are not protected. In contrast, ibex numbers are believed to be increasing in the two protected areas where recruitment is satisfactory and females appear to give birth to twins frequently. In the Hawtat bani Tamim Ibex Reserve, the most recent census (Spring 2007) recorded 400 individuals. The Nubian Ibex is legally protected by a hunting by-law, passed in 1979, which along with gazelles, gives the species total protection. In Saudi Arabia, it occurs in two official reserves at Tubayq Reserve in the north, and the Ibex Reserve in Hawtat bani Tamim in the east-central region. The Nubian Ibex is listed as Vulnerable under the ICUN Red List as it has an estimated population of less than 10,000 mature individuals possibly as few as 2500 mature animals with a continuing decline rate estimated at 10% over two generations (generation length estimated at 8 years). This species occurs in Egypt east of the Nile, north-east Sudan, northern Ethiopia and western Eritrea, Israel, west Jordan, scattered locations in western and central Saudi Arabia, scattered locations in Yemen, and in southern Oman. It is extinct in Lebanon and Syria.

National Wildlife Research Centre – Taif

My family and I were very lucky to be invited to look around the Saudi Wildlife Authority National Wildlife Research Centre (NWRC). This is an amazing centre that works on the reintroduction of rare and scarce species to many of its Protected Areas around the Kingdom and is a huge credit to the country for its forward thinking on conservation matters. The centre was established in 1986 and is particularly involved in the reintroduction of the rapidly declining Macqueen’s Bustard as well as reintroducing the extinct Ostrich. The Ostrich that occurred in Saudi Arabia, and was last seen in 1941, was the Arabian Ostrich Stuthio camelus syriacus, but unfortunately there are no examples of their subspecies left so the birds being reintroduced are the North African Red-necked Ostrich Stuthio camelus camelus from Sudan, that is genetically the closest surviving subspecies. Birds were reintroduced in Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area and now have a self-sustaining population of around 300 birds, and this is the only place in Saudi Arabia where you can see this species. The birds are now self-sustaining and are in fact so successful at breeding that individuals are now being sent overseas to other breeding centres. Macqueen’s Bustards were reintroduced to the Protected Area to re-establish a sustainable resident breeding population, with the NWRC pioneering the captive breeding of Macqueen’s Bustard, which has now been employed by other centres around the Middle East and North Africa. The captive breeding birds came from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordon, Iran and confiscated birds of unknown origin and produce between 150 – 300 birds annually. There are currently about 250 to 300 Macqueen’s Bustards in Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area but they are very difficult to see. A huge amount of scientific work has gone into the reintroduction of these birds and many scientific papers have also been written and this is another great success story from the NWRC. Breeding birds of both of these species are kept at the NWRC but the success of the Ostrich has meant that no breeding is required anymore. You are not allowed out of the vehicle near the Bustards as they do not want them habituated to humans.

North African Red-necked Ostrich

Macqueen's Bustard

The centre also has a number of rescued or confiscated animals including Arabian Leopard, Stripped Hyena, Wolf, Cheetah and Lion. Nubian Ibex is being raised at the centre and a Honey Badger is there that was trapped in Saudi Arabia and sent to the NWRC. Other animals that have been reintroduced by the NWRC are Arabian Oryx and Sand Gazelle. Since 1997 a number of Arabian Leopard Panthera pardus nimr have been collected by the centre and with cooperation with the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah, which pioneered captive breeding techniques for the species, a number of cubs have been born. These animals will, hopefully, ensure the captive survival of the species and could allow future reintroductions to the wild.

Arabian Leopard

Arabian Oryx

Cheetah

Honey Badger

Striped Hyena

Nubian Ibex