Abu Dhabi hosts world’s largest Arabian oryx population

The United Arab Emirates has become a global center for Arabian oryx conservation, hosting the world’s largest population of the species. According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the UAE is home to more than 6,900 Arabian oryx, with significant concentrations located within protected areas in Abu Dhabi.

The Arabian oryx, or Oryx leucoryx, was declared extinct in the wild during the 1970s due to habitat loss and overhunting. Recovery efforts began in the 1970s under the leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Building on this foundation, the EAD launched the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Arabian Oryx Reintroduction Programme in 2007 to establish sustainable populations in historical habitats.

Key conservation sites include the Arabian Oryx Protected Area in Razeen, which contains the world’s largest concentration of the species, and the Qasr Al Sarab Protected Area. The Zayed Nature Reserves Network, comprising 26 protected areas covering approximately 22,821 square kilometers, provides essential habitat. These reintroduction efforts have extended beyond the UAE to support populations in Oman and Jordan.