RIYADH: In northeast Saudi Arabia, the threatened reem gazelle is breeding again in the wild at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, an early sign that protection measures are translating into recovery on the ground.
More than 40 Arabian reem gazelle birth cases were recorded from the start of 2026 through the end of the first quarter, the Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the reserve authority.
For the region, the reem gazelle is not just another species on a checklist. “The reem gazelle is one of the most prominent wildlife symbols associated with desert and semi-desert ecosystems in the Arabian Peninsula,” a spokesperson from the reserve told Arab News.
Historically, reem gazelles ranged across wide areas of deserts, gravel and sandy plains in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, the spokesperson added.
“Over the past decades, reem gazelle numbers declined significantly due to multiple human and environmental pressures, especially intensive hunting using vehicles and modern firearms, as well as habitat loss and degradation,” the official said.
That context helps explain why the reserve’s 2026 figure is being treated as a meaningful conservation indicator. The official said birth cases, a technical term used in field monitoring, do not automatically indicate a precise headcount of newborn animals.
“It refers to the number of documented birth events or occurrences, such as how many times a new birth was observed and recorded within the reserve,” the official said.
He added that reproduction in a natural habitat is among the clearest measures of whether reem gazelles are shifting from reliance on captive breeding and intensive care to self-sustaining reproduction in the wild, signaling that key elements of ecological stability are in place.
In practice, reem gazelles often have one offspring per birth, though rare cases of twins can push the total number of newborns above the number of recorded events. “It does not necessarily mean the final, exact count of newborns,” the official said.
Specialized teams document birth cases through ongoing field monitoring using standard protected-area methods, the official said.
“To avoid double-counting, teams continuously review photos and field records and compare individuals’ characteristics, sighting locations, and observation dates,” the official said.
The official said each case is logged with data points such as the observation location and date, as well as the newborn’s approximate age and visible characteristics, and teams may follow the female and young across several visits to confirm stability and independence.
The official said some females are fitted with collars or identification tags as part of monitoring programs, which helps teams track them more accurately and link newborns to mothers seen in the field.
As for what is driving the higher reproductive indicator, the official said long-term, integrated work, rather than a single quick intervention, has been behind the rise.
Reintroduction and carefully managed release programs have aimed to rebuild herds in suitable and safer environments, while habitat management and stronger protection have supported stability for reem gazelles.
“The increase in birth rates … can be attributed to a set of integrated environmental efforts carried out over recent years — most notably reintroduction and carefully managed release programs for wildlife species in their natural habitats,” the official said.
“Key threats include illegal hunting, human encroachment on habitats and overgrazing.”
Climate impacts and seasonal drought can also pressure the species, while natural predation can affect newborn survival in early life stages.
The official said the reserve addresses threats through intensified field patrols and enforcement, habitat management and restoration, and continued monitoring of herds and reproductive cases, while limiting activities that can harm biodiversity and vegetation cover.
“It also signals a shift from simply preventing further decline to building stable wild populations capable of sustaining themselves long term,” the official added.
