Scimitar-horned oryx returns to Chad after decade-long reintroduction

AI digestMimile.ai EditorialAugust 28, 2026 at 05:09 PM

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Scimitar-horned oryx returns to Chad after decade-long reintroduction

The scimitar-horned oryx, extinct in the wild since 2000, has been reintroduced to Chad's Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve. The population has surpassed 600 individuals, prompting the IUCN to downgrade its status from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered in December 2023. The project has also faced losses, with over 100 oryx dying during the 2024 dry season.

Key Facts

The scimitar-horned oryx was classified as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN in 2000.
The reintroduction project began in 2016 with 25 individuals brought from Abu Dhabi to Chad.
By the end of 2023, the wild-born calf count exceeded 500 and the total population surpassed 600.
In December 2023, the IUCN updated the species' status from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered.
In November 2024, 50 additional oryx were transferred from Abu Dhabi, bringing the total released since 2016 to 361.

Reintroduction Milestones

The scimitar-horned oryx disappeared from its natural habitat due to overhunting, habitat loss, and severe droughts. In 2000, the IUCN classified the species as Extinct in the Wild. The reintroduction project began in 2016 with 25 individuals brought from Abu Dhabi to the Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve in Chad. The project is considered one of Africa's most comprehensive large mammal reintroduction initiatives.

Population Growth and Status Change

By the end of 2023, the number of wild-born calves exceeded 500, and the total population surpassed 600 individuals. In December 2023, the IUCN updated the species' conservation status from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered. In November 2024, 50 additional oryx were transferred from Abu Dhabi, bringing the total number released since 2016 to 361. The total number of wild-born calves recorded during the project reached 580.

Climate Challenges and Conservation Impact

During the 2024 dry season, high temperatures caused the deaths of over 100 oryx, mainly newly released and young individuals. The return of a large herbivore species contributes to restoring the natural balance between grasslands and oases in the Sahel ecosystem. The project has facilitated the protection of over 78,000 square kilometers and serves as a model for conserving other endangered species such as the addax antelope and dama gazelle.

1 source

Scimitar-horned oryx returns to Chad after decade-long reintroduction

sozcu.com.tr

Sozcu

Environment

Bees and 97,000 native trees restore 577 hectares of Colombian Andean forest

A reforestation project in Colombia's Sesquilé and Guatavita regions has restored more than 577 hectares of high Andean ecosystem, planting over 97,000 native trees and installing 190 beehives. The initiative, which began in 2014, combined tree planting with beekeeping and sustainable farming to regenerate degraded land and protect water sources. Local families were trained in tree care and honey production, creating an additional income stream while supporting pollination.

Environment

Rathlin Island declared world's first stoat-free island after five-year eradication

Rathlin Island off Northern Ireland has been declared the world's first island to fully eradicate invasive stoats, following a five-year project that cost 5.2 million euros. The removal of stoats, introduced about 40 years ago to control rabbits, is expected to allow the recovery of an ecosystem supporting around 250,000 seabirds. The announcement comes as teams now target invasive brown rats, with 6,500 poison bait stations deployed since October 2024.

Environment

Jadav Payeng planted forest on Brahmaputra sandbar for 47 years

Jadav Payeng began planting trees on a Brahmaputra River sandbar in 1979 after seeing animals die from heat without shade. His forest, named Molai Forest, now covers 550 hectares and hosts elephants, rhinos, and Bengal tigers. Payeng received the Padma Shri award in 2015 for his environmental work.

Science

GPS and cellphone data show wildlife respond to human presence, not just habitat loss

Researchers combined GPS tracking of 4,581 mammals and birds with anonymized cellphone location data across the United States to measure how wildlife respond to human presence. The study, published in Science, found that animal movement changes with nearby human activity, independent of landscape alteration. The COVID-19 lockdowns provided a rare natural experiment to separate human presence from habitat modification.

Scimitar-horned oryx returns to Chad after decade-long reintroduction

Key Facts

Reintroduction Milestones

Population Growth and Status Change

Climate Challenges and Conservation Impact

Read more

Read more