Nearly a century ago, the Syrian wild ass, one of six subspecies of onager and the only one found in Saudi Arabia, was declared extinct, a result of hunting, habitat loss and competition with livestock.
Last year, the country welcomed back these equids with the introduction of the Persian onager, a fellow subspecies and the closest genetic relative of the Syrian wild ass.
Seven individuals were translocated to the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in north-west Saudi Arabia from the Shaumari Reserve in Jordan, with the aim of establishing a new founder population.
The herd recently welcomed a foal, an encouraging sign that the animals are adapting.
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The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve encompasses 15 distinct ecosystems across 24,500km, and is one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the Middle East.
The onagers join 11 other species that have been reintroduced here since 2022, including 60 Arabian oryx, 14 Nubian ibex, 125 sand gazelles and 22 mountain gazelles, plus six bird species, including the griffon vulture and Pharaoh eagle owl.
Persian onagers are typically found in and around Central Asia, specifically northern Iran. They are themselves endangered, with fewer than 600 individuals remaining in the wild. They’re known for their impressive speed, able to gallop at up to 70kmph.
“These are the first free-running onager seen in Saudi Arabia since the early 1900s,” says Andrew
Zaloumis, CEO of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve. “Their reintroduction represents a transformative step for conservation and a major landmark in the kingdom’s biodiversity efforts.”
The venture, supported by Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, is part of the reserve’s long-term rewilding plan.
Main image: Persian onagers in Saudi Arabia/David Chancellor
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