The Arabian oryx or white oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is a medium-sized antelope with a distinct shoulder bump, long, straight horns, and a tufted tail. [2] It is a bovid, and the smallest member of the genus Oryx, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is an area within the Central Desert and Coastal Hills biogeographical regions of Oman. Seasonal fogs and dews support a unique desert ecosystem whose diverse flora includes several endemic plants.

The Wildlife Reserve in Al Wusta, formerly the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, is a nature reserve in the Omani Central Desert and Coastal Hills. In a much larger form, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, but in 2007 it became the first site to be removed from the World Heritage list. [1]

On June 28, 2007, Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was the first site to be removed from the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO cited the Omani government's decision to open 90% of the site to oil prospecting as the main reason for this decision.

Sep 16, 2023 · However, the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman faced challenges, including poaching and illegal live capture, resulting in a significant decline in population and its removal from the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Mar 16, 2022 · Reintroduction efforts have used two main sources: the ‘World Herd’, established at the Phoenix Zoo, and private collections in Saudi Arabia. The breeding programme at the Al-Wusta Wildlife Reserve (WWR) in Oman has played a central role in the rescue of the oryx.

By royal decree, the Sultan started “Operation Oryx” to re-establish the Arabian Oryx population and reintroduce them into the wild. Five Oryx from Phoenix Zoo were flown to the location known as the “Arabian Oryx Reserve”, now known as the “Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve”.

Apr 24, 2009 · Ten years after the species had been exterminated in the wild by poaching, the first 10 founder oryx, descendants of the ′World Herd′, were reintroduced to the desert in central Oman in January 1982.

Mar 25, 2025 · The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman is a unique destination for backpackers due to its stunning desert landscapes and diverse wildlife. As the first site to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oman, the sanctuary offers a rare opportunity to see the endangered Arabian oryx in its natural habitat.

Aug 28, 2024 · The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary spans 2,824 square kilometers and is home to around 900 Arabian Oryx, 1,240 sand gazelles, 160 Arabian gazelles, as well as Nubian ibex, sand foxes, striped hyenas, wild rabbits, and honey badgers.