'Risky' decision to release rare Aussie creatures outside high-security fence
A small population of the critically endangered marsupials, which are also known as woylie, were taken to the sanctuary in 2015. Without the threat of predators, they bred from 162 individuals to over 1,000 over 10 years.
This year, a decision was taken to release around 10 per cent beyond the fence. And this month a chosen few were set free across 70,000 hectares of land nearby where AWC has been reducing invasive predator numbers.
The species once occupied 60 per cent of the mainland, but today their range has plummeted to less than 1 per cent. In Western Australia's Wheatbelt, where the sanctuary is located, they haven't been seen in the wild for over a century.
Amazing photographs highlight gleeful moments woylie are released. Source: Brad Leue
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AWC's CEO Tim Allard said the plan is to re-establish locally extinct species across larger landscapes. 'While it is risky to release a predator-prone species such as the woylie into an area where cats are present, we sometimes have to take well-considered risks to advance conservation,' he said.
'We have evidence from previous releases of other species, and from monitoring the outcomes of predator control on the release site, to suggest that Woylies have a good chance of establishing outside the fence at Mt Gibson.'
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Over the next few months, ecologists will monitor the animals. Several have been fitted with tracking collars so their progress can be compared to those within the fence.
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Establishing natural reserves such as the Sharaan Nature Reserve was another important step to enhance rewilding initiatives. The RCU is working on protecting degraded habitats from domestic animals as well, thus giving natural vegetation a chance to regrow. It is also trying to boost natural prey numbers for species such as Arabian gazelles, Arabian oryx and the Nubian ibex. The Zoological Society of London has been contributing to Saudi Arabia's long-term sand gazelle breeding, captive management, reintroduction and monitoring efforts. This has mainly been in collaboration with the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre. Sand gazelles bred in captivity have been reintroduced to the Kingdom's Empty Quarter, as well as the Ibex Reserve and Uruq Bani Ma'arid. ZSL has also helped train local staff in data collection and conservation techniques, while also furthering the understanding of gazelle genetics. Fokidis pointed out: 'For gazelles, the rewilding is a little further along. There have already been actual reintroductions of both Arabian and mountain gazelles into areas of substantial size like Sharaan and King Salman Royal Natural Reserves.' Several native tree species like acacias are also being planted, especially in Sharaan National Park, in an attempt to reverse desertification and reintroduce vegetation to this area. According to the IUCN World Conservation Congress, more than half a million seedlings have been planted already across active restoration areas. Community engagement to foster greater Arabian leopard-human harmony In addition to the above measures, Saudi Arabia is focusing heavily on public awareness and community engagement programs. These have been crucial in educating local communities about the importance of Arabian leopards and sand gazelles in the ecosystem and encouraging public participation in conservation initiatives. In several cases, this also includes suggesting livestock protection solutions, highlighting the benefits of ecotourism and implementing early warning systems. These livestock protection methods can include using livestock guardian dogs and building predator-proof enclosures from wire mesh and other sturdy materials. Community-based conservation programs also involve regular community meetings. These focus on assessing predator activity, as well as on conflict minimizing technique training. This can go a long way in decreasing livestock-leopard and human-leopard interactions. Marochi noted: 'Public education plays a central role, with campaigns designed to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding Saudi Arabia's natural heritage for generations to come. The initiative demonstrates that economic diversification and wildlife conservation can go hand in hand.' The RCU has also joined forces with organizations such as Panthera, a wild cat conservation group, to further improve conservation methods and monitor the Arabian leopard's status in the Kingdom. It is also trying to work with other range states across the Arabian Peninsula in order to align conservation initiatives. Fragile ecosystems and arid conditions make conservation trickier Although Saudi Arabia has considerably ramped up its conservation efforts already, significant challenges still remain. One of the main hurdles is how elusive and rare Arabian leopards are, making it very difficult for researchers and organizations to study them and develop appropriate conservation strategies. Another great conservation challenge is Saudi Arabia's unique ecosystem. Fokidis highlighted: 'Rewilding in Saudi Arabia means dealing with hyper-arid desert conditions and very fragile ecosystems that can take centuries to completely recover. The fact is that much of the original habitat has been fragmented or altered beyond recognition.' Much of this damage has also been caused by off-roaders and dune bashers, who can significantly harm desert wildlife by causing vegetation loss, soil disturbances and habitat fragmentation. This in turn disrupts breeding grounds and food chains, while also increasing pollution and harming desert ecosystem productivity. However, these activities continue to be very popular among tourists, especially given Saudi Arabia's increased efforts to promote tourism in the last few years. 'Unlike rewilding efforts in temperate climates like the US and Europe, Saudi Arabia's projects face extreme environmental conditions where species must be adapted to scarce water, harsh temperatures, and limited vegetation,' noted Fokidis. Reintroducing apex predators like the Arabian leopard, along with a considerable number of prey species also means that a lot of open space is needed. However, given the increasing number of Saudi Arabian giga-projects such as NEOM and Diriyah, open space may soon be much harder to come by, potentially causing issues for long-term rewilding projects. Poaching and illegal hunting, apart from retaliatory killings, are other ongoing issues, both for Arabian leopards and gazelles. This is mainly due to illegal trade in fur and skin, body parts, meat, horns and for traditional medicine. Saudi Arabia has been attempting to restrict hunting to specific game reserves only, but whether this approach will be successful in the long-term remains to be seen. The Kingdom is still relatively new to conservation biology, and as such, has to rely mainly on foreign biologists, external agencies and conservationists to frame these initiatives and share knowledge with domestic talent. More school and public awareness programs are needed as well, in order to change the public mentality towards wildlife, which is still largely seen as a livestock threat or something to hunt. Another major issue is determining how to balance conservation with development, especially as more giga-projects take off. 'You simply cannot pour concrete over ecosystems and expect things like leopards to thrive. It doesn't happen. These efforts are happening in real time alongside a broader societal transformation, and the success of Saudi conservation may hinge on how effectively these initiatives are integrated into their national identity,' Fokidis said. Long-term commitment needed for successful rewilding Although Saudi Arabia has already started rewilding and habitat restoration, these initiatives need to be maintained long-term in order to see significant results. This can not only help the Kingdom become a Middle Eastern leader in conservation, but also help long-term environmental resilience. 'Rewilding often occurs while the pressures that made those animals rare in the first place still exist, and depending on the long-term goal of achieving sustainable populations will only mean more rewilding elsewhere, possibly using your "saved" animals, so the work is ongoing,' Fokidis explained. This may need considerable funding, ecological monitoring and scientific oversight, along with decades of commitment and genetic diversity planning. As such, long-term political agendas, funding and public awareness campaigns all need to align for decades on end to sustain these rewilding and restoration programs. Several other Middle Eastern animal species, such as the Arabian oryx, sand cats, houbara bustards and Nubian ibex are still vulnerable to many of these habitat and ecosystem threats. As such, rewilding efforts may need to extend to these species as well in the future. Fokidis noted: 'Saudi Arabia is trying, to its credit, Whether it's enough for Arabian leopards, we will see. If nothing else, this all proves that even in the desert, the flower of hope can grow, as long as it comes with a wildlife veterinarian, GPS collars, drone surveillance, and a few billion riyals.'
