The Arabian Oryx was extinct in the wild by the early 1970’s but was saved in zoos and private preserves, this allowed the species to start to be reintroduced into the wild in 1980. Classified as endangered in 1986, the Arabian Oryx was on the IUCN Red List, but in 2011 it became the first animal to revert to ‘vulnerable’ status after previously being listed as ‘extinct in the wild’. A Qatari Oryx named ‘Orry’ was chosen as the mascot for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha and is now shown on the tailfins of planes belonging to Qatar Airways. It is the national animal of the United Arab Emirates.

Arabian Oryx rest during the heat of the day, they have the ability to detect rainfall and move towards it. This means they range vast areas, over 3,000 square kilometres in Oman. They prefer to range in gravel desert or hard sand areas where their speed and endurance will protect them from most predators. In the sand deserts of Saudi Arabia, they used to be found in the hard sand areas of the flats between the dunes and ridges.

After being reintroduced to Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Jordan, the reintroduced population is estimated to be approximately 1,000 which puts the Arabian Oryx well over the 250 mature individual threshold needed to qualify for an ‘endangered’ status.