Al Ain: Al Ain Zoo has successfully bred the Speke gazelle, an endangered species, boosting the population with 12 newborn babies.
The zoo had brought two male gazelles from the Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai for the purpose. The aim was to introduce a new bloodline of gazelles by overcoming in-breeding issues and improving the genetic diversity at the zoo, said an official of the zoo.
Speke gazelle is classified as an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, issued in September 2008.
The animal’s herd at the zoo was appeared to be derived from a founder group with no new genetic contribution from new founders. “Therefore the zoo looked to introduce a new blood line in 2013, said Muna Al Daheri, Chief Executive of Education and Conservation at Al Ain Zoo.
After careful coordination between the two organisations, she said, the two gazelles arrived at the zoo, initially housed under quarantine conditions for approximately one month, and then introduced to two separate groups of adult females.
Female gazelles were divided into two groups, with each male gazelle introduced to a separate group, and almost one year since the introduction, the gazelles’ population at the zoo increased from 18 to 30, indicating a successful breeding of 12 newborns from both breeding groups, she said.
“Al Ain Zoo has long been committed to wildlife preservation and conservation, and collaborating with many organisations that are aligned with our cause helps us work towards a shared goal,” said Muna. The successful gazelle breeding supports the vision of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the UAE to become a leader in environmental sustainability and wildlife protection, she said.
The zoo has successfully introduced conservation and breeding programs for a number of species over the past decades, including species of oryx, gazelle, the Arabian Leopard and the Houbara bustard. It is also a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria (WAZA).
Strategic partnerships, she said, have been set up with leading zoos, conservation agencies and associations from across the world, including the World Conservation Union and Species Survival Commission, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, San Diego Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo, the Northern Rangelands Trust of Kenya and the Sahara Conservation Fund.