After decades of extinction in the wild, a tough herbivore has made a comeback and could become a vanguard in the battle to curb the spread of the Sahara Desert.
The BBC reports on the ongoing conservation success story of the scimitar-horned oryx’s stunning return. Desert nomads have hunted them for centuries, but their hides, horns, and delicious meat have led to overhunting with modern equipment and their wild populations have been wiped out. However, thanks to international collaboration and captive breeding programs, the eland has been successfully reintroduced into the wild.
Rewilding a species is a daunting task. It needs to address the problems that cause species to disappear in the first place. Even then, success is not guaranteed.
One of the earliest antelope reintroductions took place in 1985. Ten antelopes from Marwell and Edinburgh Zoos were released in Tunisia’s Bou-Hedma National Park. “Things could have gone horribly wrong, but they’ve been there ever since,” said Marvell wildlife conservation scientist Tania Gilbert.
This is not surprising considering their incredible resilience and unique ability to adapt to the desert. According to the Smithsonian Institution, antelopes get all their water from eating grass, so they can go years without drinking water, and their internal temperatures are ridiculously high (116°F), allowing them to tolerate temperatures that few animals can.
As they eat and move, they spread seeds and much-needed nutrients through their excrement to the edge of the desert. Seeds spread through feces are 250 times more likely to germinate. Antelopes are also an important part of the food web as prey. It is hoped that the antelope’s resurgence will help curb the spread of the Sahara.
Since 1920, the Sahara Desert has expanded by 10%. According to Earth.Org, it grows an average of 48 kilometers (about 30 miles) per year. About a third of the expansion is driven by human activity, and the long-term effects are considerable. Food insecurity, water shortages and biodiversity loss will all be caused by the expansion of the Sahara Desert.
Oryx themselves don’t solve the problem, but they can be part of the solution. Their short-term future is bright, but raising awareness and working with local communities is needed to sustain the species.
John Newby described the progress as “the tip of the iceberg”, telling the BBC: “Another nine-tenths of the iceberg is hidden underwater – it will depend on human behavior and the ability of people to accommodate wildlife in their lives and livelihoods.”
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