RIYADH — Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has reintroduced the Persian onager to Saudi Arabia, marking the species’ return to the Kingdom after more than a century of absence.

In April 2024, seven Persian onagers were translocated from the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature’s (RSCN) Shaumari Reserve in Jordan to the Reserve, establishing the first wild population in the Kingdom in over a century. The onagers, following their 935-kilometer journey, have adapted well to their new habitat, celebrated by the birth of the first foal in the Reserve — a pivotal milestone in Saudi Arabia’s rewilding efforts.

“These are the first free-running onagers seen in Saudi Arabia since their extinction in the early 1900s. Historically celebrated by Arabic poets, these strong, untamable, and elusive creatures are classified as Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 600 Persian onagers remaining in the wild globally. Their reintroduction represents a transformative step for their conservation and a major landmark in the Kingdom’s biodiversity efforts,” said Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve.

Historically, the now-extinct Syrian wild ass, a close genetic relative of the Persian onager, roamed the Reserve as an ecosystem engineer. Today, the Persian onager has taken its place, playing a critical role in the Reserve’s ambitious landscape and seascape restoration program—one of the largest in the Middle East.

This achievement was made possible through cross-border collaboration with Jordan’s RSCN, reinforcing the principle that nature knows no borders.

“The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has been conserving the wild onager since 1982 and is pleased to see these efforts bearing fruit in Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in Saudi Arabia,” said Batool Ajlouni, president of the Board of Directors of RSCN.

“The joint project began in 2024 when the Reserve signed a cooperation agreement with the RSCN to conserve this important species, which once roamed Arabia, the Syrian Desert, and the Levant. The collaboration also aims to foster ecological connectivity and best practices in protected area management. The Royal Society looks forward with hope that another wild population of onagers is being established in Saudi Arabia.”

The Persian onager, smaller than other wild asses, is distinguished by its pale sandy-red coat, light brown dorsal stripe, and short tail. Renowned for their speed, they can run up to 70 km/h. Historically, their migrations rivaled the Great Migration of Africa’s Serengeti.

With a lineage dating back some 4 million years, Persian onagers predate the Arabian horse and African zebra.

The onager's reintroduction aligns with the Reserve’s Integrated Development Management Plan, supporting the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030.

Since 2022, the Reserve has successfully reintroduced 11 species, including 60 Arabian oryx, 14 Nubian ibex, 125 sand gazelles, and 22 mountain gazelles.

Additionally, six bird species, including the griffon vulture and pharaoh eagle owl, have been reintroduced.

The Reserve’s landscape-wide habitat restoration program is enabling nature to heal, fostering the resilience required for reintroduced species to thrive and restoring ecological connectivity. — SG